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9h ago

France Confirms Louvre Heist Jewels Uninsured as Manhunt Intensifies

The culture ministry says national museum collections are self-insured, leaving the state to absorb the loss.

Image
Members of a forensic team inspect a window believed to have been used in what the French Interior Ministry said was a robbery at the Louvre museum during which jewelry was stolen, in Paris, France, October 19, 2025.
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 19: A French Forensics Officer examines the cut window and balcony of a gallery at the Louvre Museum which was the scene of a robbery at the world famous museum earlier in the day on October 19, 2025 in Paris, France. France's Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, announced the closure of the world-famous art museum on X due to the robbery taking place just after the Louvre opened to the public. It is being reported that millions of pound with of historic jewellery belonging to Napoleon and Empress Josephine has been stolen (Photo by Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)
People queue outside the Louvre museum in Paris on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, although it remains closed for the day after Sunday's jewels robbery. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Overview

  • France’s culture ministry said the eight jewels taken on Oct. 19 are not covered by private insurance because national museums self-insure their collections.
  • A specialized police unit, the BRB, is leading the search and is reviewing surveillance footage and phone data while analyzing DNA and tools recovered with the truck-mounted lift.
  • Officials say the thieves used a lift to reach the Galerie d’Apollon, cut through a window, smashed two cases and fled on motorbikes in about six to seven minutes.
  • Empress Eugénie’s crown was dropped and found damaged outside the museum, while the eight stolen Napoleonic-era pieces remain missing.
  • Security is under scrutiny, with Culture Minister Rachida Dati saying the museum’s systems worked and an administrative inquiry ordered, as prior audits highlighted CCTV gaps and the justice minister acknowledged a failure.