Louvre Robbery Shocks Paris: Jewels Linked To Napoleon Snatched In Minutes

Paris was thrown into turmoil connected Sunday, October 19, aft a daring robbery astatine nan Louvre Museum, wherever thieves reportedly stole jewels linked to Napoleon and nan Empress Joséphine.

France’s Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, confirmed nan incident, calling it a ‘robbery astatine nan opening of nan museum,’ arsenic nan world’s astir visited assemblage abruptly closed its doors ‘for exceptional reasons.’

Thieves onslaught astatine opening time

The heist took spot astir nan museum’s opening hr and appeared to beryllium a highly coordinated operation, according to early constabulary reports. The criminals are believed to person entered done nan Seine-facing facade, wherever renewal activity is ongoing – a imaginable anemic constituent successful nan Louvre’s usually tight security.

Once inside, nan group allegedly utilized a freight elevator to scope nan Apollo Gallery, location to nan French Crown Jewels and priceless artefacts erstwhile belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Joséphine.

Armed pinch cutting tools, they reportedly smashed show solid and seized 9 pieces from nan royal jewellery postulation earlier fleeing nan scene. Authorities person not yet confirmed nan full worth of nan stolen items but described them arsenic “of immense humanities and taste worth.”

Rachida Dati, who quickly arrived astatine nan museum, said she was pursuing nan investigation closely. The Louvre has since remained closed to nan public, pinch constabulary forensic teams combing nan tract for evidence.

A depository pinch a agelong history of heists

While this robbery has shocked visitors and Parisians alike, it is not nan first clip nan Louvre has faced theft. In 1911, nan depository made world headlines erstwhile Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman who hid overnight wrong nan depository and walked retired nan adjacent time pinch nan coating nether his coat.

The masterpiece was recovered 2 years later successful Florence, and nan theft ironically helped toggle shape nan Mona Lisa into nan world’s astir celebrated painting.

More recently, successful 1983, 2 Renaissance-era suits of armour were stolen and only recovered astir 40 years later. The museum’s postulation itself besides reflects hundreds of years of disputed acquisitions, including artefacts seized during Napoleon’s subject campaigns – items that proceed to substance world restitution debates today.

Crown Jewels nether scrutiny

The Galerie d’Apollon, wherever Sunday’s heist took place, is 1 of nan Louvre’s astir iconic rooms. Known for its gilded ceilings and intricate frescoes, it houses a rotating action of nan Crown Jewels of France, including items that erstwhile adorned kings, emperors and empresses.

Museum officials person confirmed that nary 1 was injured successful nan robbery, but nan assemblage will stay closed until further notice. Investigators are now reviewing CCTV footage and questioning unit arsenic they effort to find really nan thieves managed to breach 1 of nan astir unafraid museums successful nan world.

The Louvre welcomes up to 30,000 visitors a day, and Sunday’s incident has reignited calls for tighter information measures astir nationalist practice sites.

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