On Sunday, October 19, 2025, eight of the world’s most priceless artifacts were stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris. The robbery occurred at 9:30 am, just after the museum opened. The thieves cut windows, used a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon, broke through two layers of glass, stole the priceless jewels, then escaped just eight minutes later via scooters.
“We are all disappointed and angry,” Natalie Goulet, a member of the French Senate’s Finance Committee, told the BBC.
According to local French authorities, the stolen artifacts included the Reliquary Brooch, a tiara and brooch belonging to Empress Eugénie, an emerald pair of earrings and necklace belonging to Empress Marie Louise, as well as a tiara, necklace, and earring that belonged to Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense. Luckily, the thieves dropped (or left) the crown of Empress Eugénie; however, it suffered some damage.
The French Government is working quickly to ensure that the pieces are found before the thieves disassemble the artifacts and pawn them for money. According to PBS, the artifacts stolen have a total value of $102 million. “Everything is being done,” Emmanuel Macron, the French President, said.
The last time a robbery occurred at The Louvre was in 1998, when Camille Corot’s Le Chemin de Sevres was stolen. The 1998 robbery led to an increase in museum security, which is why the most recent theft is shocking; it had to have been meticulously planned and possibly an inside job.
Immediately following the robbery, the Louvre Museum was evacuated. It is expected to reopen on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at the earliest.
