Louvre heist: thieves steal jewels in daylight raid, investigation underway

Louvre heist: thieves steal jewels in daylight raid. Paris prosecutors are pursuing two main leads in the October 19 Louvre robbery: that it was a commissioned theft or an attempt to launder money.

Prosecutor Laure Beccu said four masked men used a hydraulic lift to access the museum’s Apollo Gallery, cutting through a window with a power saw and seizing nine pieces of jewelry within minutes. One of them — Empress Eugenie’s diamond-studded crown — was later found broken outside.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati said the theft lasted just four minutes and was “the work of professionals.” President Emmanuel Macron vowed the stolen treasures would be recovered and those responsible brought to justice.