Overview
- Police say a small team used a truck-mounted lift to cut through a second‑floor window of the Galerie d’Apollon, smashed two display cases, and fled on scooters in a raid lasting roughly four to seven minutes.
- Officials released an inventory of eight stolen pieces linked to Napoleon’s era, including tiaras, necklaces, earrings and brooches, while Empress Eugénie’s damaged crown was recovered near the museum.
- The Louvre remained closed on Monday as forensic teams processed the scene, reviewed CCTV and examined tools and equipment left behind, with about 60 investigators assigned to the case.
- Authorities are pursuing the hypothesis of a professional organized‑crime operation, reviewing possible escape routes and scrutinizing vulnerabilities tied to renovation work and staffing pressures.
- President Emmanuel Macron vowed to recover the treasures as senior ministers acknowledged security failings and experts warned the jewels could be dismantled quickly, tightening the window for recovery.