Paris [France], October 19 (ANI): The Louvre Museum in Paris was forced to close on Sunday after a brazen break-in, France 24 reported. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the incident on X, saying, “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum.”
According to officials, the thieves arrived between 9:30 a.m. and 9:40 a.m. (local time) and stole jewelry, though the value of the stolen items is still being assessed. No injuries were reported.
A police source told France 24 that the robbers arrived on a scooter armed with small chainsaws and used a goods lift to reach the targeted room.
The Louvre—formerly the royal palace of French kings until Louis XIV moved to Versailles in the late 1600s—is the world’s most visited museum, welcoming nine million visitors last year.
Following the theft, the museum announced on X that it was closing its doors “for exceptional reasons,” without offering details about the stolen artifacts.
According to French daily Le Parisien, the criminals entered through the facade facing the Seine River, where renovation work is underway. They allegedly used a freight elevator to access the Apollo Gallery, where they broke windows and stole “nine pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress,” the paper reported.
Minister Dati, who visited the scene with museum staff and police, confirmed, “No injuries reported. I’m on site with museum staff and police.” She added that investigations are underway.
Louvre authorities have not yet issued an official statement. (ANI)
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