Paris‍‍` Louvre Museum closes following jewelry heist

The world-renowned Louvre Museum was forced to close its doors on Sunday after a group of thieves carried out a bold daylight robbery, escaping with several pieces of “priceless” jewelry from the Galerie d’Apollon, home to France’s historic Crown Jewels.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed to France Inter radio that the thieves gained access early Sunday morning using a truck equipped with a lift and an angle grinder to breach a window. They then smashed several display cases before fleeing the scene on motor scooters.

“The stolen jewelry has real heritage value — they are truly priceless,” Nuñez said, adding that the entire heist lasted only about seven minutes.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati said in a post on X that no one was injured in the incident and that she had joined museum staff and police at the site as investigations began.

The Galerie d’Apollon, one of the Louvre’s most iconic halls, houses France’s royal jewels and a collection of rare hardstone vessels once owned by the kings of France. Authorities have launched an intensive criminal investigation as security experts assess how the robbers managed to bypass the museum’s extensive surveillance and alarm systems.

The Louvre will remain closed until further notice as police continue their forensic work and security review.