The Louvre Museum in Paris was the target of a high-profile jewel heist on Sunday, with four thieves making off with several priceless historical pieces in a “well planned” operation that lasted less than 10 minutes.
According to French authorities, the robbery occurred between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m. local time on Oct. 19. The thieves reportedly dressed as construction workers and used a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo). Two suspects were seen cutting through the gallery’s glass panes using a battery-powered disc cutter. After entering, they threatened museum guards, who ran off to help evacuation along with the staff, and smashed two display cases.
Among the items stolen were a tiara and brooch belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III; an emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings from Empress Marie Louise; a tiara, necklace, and a single earring from a sapphire set owned by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense; and a brooch known as the “Reliquary Brooch.” Empress Eugénie’s crown was reportedly dropped by the thieves as they fled the scene.
The group attempted to set their vehicle on fire before escaping at approximately 9:38 a.m., but were prevented from doing so before further damage occurred.
According to police they escaped on “T-max vehicles.”
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the stolen items as being of “immeasurable heritage value.” Authorities have assigned approximately 60 detectives to the investigation, and CCTV footage is being reviewed to trace the suspects’ escape route.
The theft has sparked an outcry in France. President Emmanuel Macron said “The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history.”
Christopher Marinello, the CEO and founder of Art Recovery International, said in an interview with ABC news that “..this is a very audacious crime and a slap in the face to museums everywhere…”
And in another interview from ABC with Jewelry historian Nathalie Abbou Vidal she that the jewels are “too important, too full of history, too much a part of who we are.”
Experts fear the stolen pieces may be irreparably altered. Chris Marinello, CEO of Art Recovery International, warned that the criminals are unlikely to keep the items intact. “They are not going to keep them intact,” Marinello said. “They are going to break them up, melt down the valuable metal, recut the valuable stones and hide evidence of their crime.”
As of Monday, the Louvre remains closed to the public. The museum, which is regularly closed on Tuesdays, could reopen as early as Wednesday, but no official reopening date has been announced. Ticket holders have been issued refunds, and investigators remain on the scene, which has been cordoned off.
But this is not the first time something like this has happened. In 1911 the Mona Lisa (which was not widely known at the time) was stolen and smuggled under the coat of Italian Museum worker, Vincenzo Peruggia. Thankfully it was recovered two years when he tried to sell it in 1913 after hiding it in his Paris apartment. He claimed the artwork belonged in Italy.
Fortunately not many attempts are made on the Mona Lisa anymore but thefts and heists like the unfortunate on Sunday are still happening not rarely.
