Overview
- Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau cited the Louvre curator in valuing the eight stolen Napoleonic and royal jewels at approximately €88 million, excluding their historical worth.
- Specialized robbery and cultural‑property units are treating the case as organized crime, with DNA and fingerprint traces, seized motorcycles and a license plate, and extensive CCTV and highway footage under analysis.
- A damaged crown linked to Empress Eugénie was recovered after the seven‑minute raid, in which four masked thieves used a truck‑mounted lift, cut through a window with power tools and fled on scooters.
- Authorities launched security reviews and an administrative inquiry, and the Louvre director is due to face parliamentary scrutiny as ministers offered differing assessments of whether systems functioned properly.
- Experts warn recovery is uncertain if the jewels are dismantled or trafficked, the state expects no insurance payout for the permanent collection, and the museum closed for two days with reopening expected Wednesday.