The Louvre remains closed for a second day as authorities investigate the theft of France's 'royal jewels'
Hours after the robbery, a crown of Empress Eugénie was found damaged near the Paris museum. Police have not yet located the thieves.
People outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
The Louvre will remain closed Monday, a day after a group of four people stole eight valuable historical pieces from the French collection, the museum told AFP.
"The museum will not open today," a spokesman said, noting it was also closed Sunday following the morning heist.
The robbery occurred at around 09:30 local time, when the Louvre, one of the world's largest museums, was already open to visitors.
According to Gérald Darmanin, justice minister of France, the thieves were "able to place a forklift on the public road, quickly get on their equipment to extract priceless jewelry and give a deplorable image of France," statements he offered to France Inter radio.
The group smashed the display cases using a small chainsaw, completing the heist in just seven minutes.
What jewelry was stolen from the Louvre?
- Queen Maria Amelia and Queen Hortensia's necklace
Composition: 8 sapphires and 631 diamonds
Worn by French queens during official ceremonies, this necklace exemplifies the luxury of the 19th-century monarchy.
- Mary Louise's emerald necklace
Composition: 32 emeralds and 1,138 diamonds.
This necklace belonged to Marie Louise de Bourbon, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, and represents the empress’s influence at the French court.
- Empress Eugénie's tiara
Composition: nearly 2,000 diamonds.
The tiara, a symbol of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, is renowned for its intricate craftsmanship and priceless value.
The other five pieces have not been publicly detailed, but they are known to be part of the same 19th-century historical and artistic collection, used in official ceremonies of the French monarchy. All the items combine high-quality precious stones—diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds—with noble metals, reflecting the luxury and sophistication of French royalty.
The theft of these jewels is considered a symbolic blow to France’s cultural heritage.
Hours after the theft, a crown belonging to Empress Eugénie was found damaged near the museum. Police have yet to trace the whereabouts of the thieves, AFP reported.
">Autoridades de Francia confirmaron las joyas robadas del Museo del Louvre:
— Joaquín López-Dóriga (@lopezdoriga) October 19, 2025
* la corona de la reina María Amelia
* la corona de la reina Hortensia
* un collar del conjunto de zafiro de las mismas reinas
* un pendiente de ese mismo conjunto
* un collar de esmeraldas de la reina… pic.twitter.com/gLHL0MT5AY
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office announced that an investigation has been opened for "organized gang robbery and criminal conspiracy," and has been assigned to the Judicial Police’s organized crime unit.
France orders to tighten security around museums
Authorities announced Monday that France will increase security at museums following the theft of royal jewelry from the Louvre.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez will issue instructions to all prefects to double security measures at cultural institutions, his office said.
The decision came during a meeting between Nunez, Culture Minister Rachida Dati, and police officials to review what went wrong in the robbery, which occurred on Sunday and made headlines worldwide.
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