Overview
- The Louvre remained closed for a second day as police preserved evidence and completed an inventory confirming eight imperial jewels missing, with one crown recovered damaged nearby.
- Authorities say three to four masked thieves used a truck-mounted basket lift and power tools to enter the Galerie d’Apollon around 9:30 a.m., smashed two cases and escaped on scooters in about seven minutes.
- Investigators are reviewing museum and roadway footage, including reported images of a flight toward the A6, and the Paris prosecutor has opened a probe with roughly 60 officers assigned.
- Culture and justice officials acknowledged security failures and ordered immediate reviews, as an auditors’ report cited delayed upgrades and patchy surveillance coverage at the museum.
- Experts warn the pieces, described as priceless national heritage, could be dismantled or the gems resold quickly, heightening urgency to recover them.