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A heist at Paris’s world-famous Louvre Museum on Oct. 19 saw historic jewels stolen, with estimated material losses reaching €88 million.
Speaking on RTL, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said four thieves managed to take eight historic pieces. The museum’s curator estimated the total value at €88 million, emphasizing that the monetary figure cannot compare to the artifacts’ historical significance.
The robbery took place in the Apollo Gallery, home to the museum’s royal jewels, and lasted just seven minutes. Among the nine pieces targeted, a crown belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, was later found outside the museum, damaged, likely dropped by the thieves during their escape.
A preliminary report by the Court of Auditors revealed repeated and significant delays in upgrading the museum’s security systems, creating vulnerabilities that contributed to the theft.
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