Thieves Steal Priceless Jewels in 4 Minutes From Louvre Museum in Brazen Daylight Heist

Thieves rode a basket lift to the Louvre, forced a window into the Galerie d’Apollon, smashed display cases, and fled with priceless jewels, officials said.

Police officers stand near the pyramid of the Louvre museum after reports of a robbery, in Paris, France, on Oct. 19, 2025. Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

PARIS—Thieves broke into Paris’ Louvre museum on Sunday, using a crane and smashing an upstairs window and stealing priceless jewelry from an area that houses the French crown jewels before escaping on motorbikes, the French government said.

The robbery is likely to raise awkward questions about security at the museum, where officials had already sounded the alarm about lack of investment at a world-famous site that welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024.