Louvre museum heist: How chainsaw-wielding robbers stole priceless jewellery in just seven minutes

How Louvre Robbery Was Carried Out

Chainsaw-wielding robbers stormed the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday morning, escaping with a collection of priceless jewellery and prompting the world-famous museum to close for the day.

The thieves reportedly arrived between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m. local time (0730–0740 GMT) and used small chainsaws and a goods lift to access a specific room within the museum. The exact value of the stolen items is still being assessed.

A separate police source said the robbers arrived on a scooter, carried out the heist, and left without causing any injuries.

France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the break-in on social media platform X, writing, "A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum. No injuries reported. I’m on site with museum staff and police."

The Louvre Museum also announced its closure for the day “for exceptional reasons" in a post on X.

The museum, once the royal palace of French kings before Louis XIV moved the court to Versailles, is considered one of the most iconic cultural institutions globally. It welcomed nine million visitors last year, making it the most visited museum in the world.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez added that the heist lasted just seven minutes.
"Individuals entered from outside with a cherry picker (a kind of hydraulic ladder) and stole priceless jewellery" in an incident that "lasted seven minutes," he said, according to Le Parisien.

Nunez said three or four men carried out the heist, focusing on two displays in Gallerie d'Apollon (Apollo's Gallery). He added: "It was manifestly a team that had done scouting," and that the glass panes were cut "with a disc cutter."

According to Le Parisien, the thieves took nine pieces from the jewellery collection of Napoleon and the Empress, with one of the stolen items later found outside the museum.

Police are continuing their investigation into the daring Louvre heist.

(With agency inputs)