4 minutes, 1 window: How thieves pulled off the quickest-ever he at Louvre Museum | World News
A police car patrols in the courtyard of the closed Louvre museum after a robbery Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo)
In a pre-planned robbery straight out of a he movie, thieves broke into Paris’ Louvre Museum on Sunday morning, stealing several pieces from France’s royal crown jewel collection before escaping on motorbikes. The he, which lasted less than four minutes, has once again cast a shadow on museum security in France.
How the thieves pulled it off
The break-in occurred around 9.30 am (0730 GMT), shortly after the museum had opened to visitors. According to France’s Interior Miner Laurent Nunez, “three or four thieves entered the Louvre using a crane mounted on a truck.”
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“They broke a window, headed straight to the Galerie d’Apollon, smashed the glass cases and stole jewels of immense horical value,” Nunez told France Inter radio.
A police van patrols in the courtyard of the closed Louvre museum after a robbery Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo)
Among the missing items are believed to be pieces from the French crown jewels, including the crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. One fragment of the crown was later recovered outside the museum, French media reported.
When minutes mattered
Culture Miner Rachida Dati said the operation was executed with “professional precision” and lasted just four minutes.
The world’s most visited museum, the Louvre, SHUTS DOWN after early-morning ROBBERY — police and security on siteFrench Culture Miner confirms investigation is underwayEven the Mona Lisa couldn’t keep an eye on this one pic.twitter.com/4Dgq8TvsJI— RT (@RT_com) October 19, 2025
“They entered calmly, broke the cases, grabbed what they wanted and left no panic, no violence,” Dati told broadcaster TF1.
Visitors were evacuated moments after alarms went off, and police quickly cordoned off the area. Surveillance footage showed the suspects fleeing on motorbikes through the near Seine embankment.
A specialised anti-art theft unit has taken charge of the investigation, with police examining CCTV footage and tracking possible escape routes.
Why security questions linger
The Louvre, which attracts nearly nine million visitors a year, has long faced criticism for outdated infrastructure and overstrained security.
“Our museums were never built with today’s criminal sophication in mind,” Dati said. “We must invest in modern security for our heritage.”
This is not the first time the museum has been at the centre of a high-profile theft. In 1911, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen a museum worker and recovered two years later a he that made the painting world-famous.
A police officer blocks an access to the Louvre museum after a robbery Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo)
The Louvre said in a statement that it would remain closed “for exceptional reasons” while police conduct their investigation.
(With inputs from agencies)
