URGENT: Thieves Steal Nine Treasures from Louvre in Daring Heist
UPDATE: Thieves have struck the Louvre once again, stealing nine priceless pieces from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress early Sunday morning. The brazen heist unfolded while tourists were present in the Galerie d’Apollon, where part of the French Crown Jewels are displayed.
Authorities reported that the thieves utilized a basket lift to access the museum, prompting immediate lockdown procedures as police sealed the gates and evacuated visitors. The museum remains closed as investigations continue.
This incident marks another chapter in the Louvre’s storied history of art thefts, echoing the most notorious heist of all—the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa. That theft propelled Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece to global fame after it was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former museum employee who hid inside the Louvre overnight.
Additionally, the infamous Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist in Boston, which occurred on March 18, 1990, remains unsolved to this day. Two men disguised as police officers gained entry, overpowered security guards, and stole 13 works of art valued at approximately $500 million. Notable pieces, including Rembrandt’s “Storm on the Sea of Galilee,” were removed from their frames, leaving empty spaces as a haunting reminder of the theft.
Internationally, museum burglaries have continued to capture headlines. In 2017, a notorious theft at Berlin’s Bode Museum saw burglars make off with a 100-kilogram (220-pound) solid-gold coin known as the “Big Maple Leaf.” The gang smashed a protective case and escaped with the coin, valued at approximately €3.75 million (around $4.33 million). Authorities suspect the thieves later cut the coin into pieces to sell.
In a separate incident, thieves raided Dresden’s Green Vault in 2019, stealing diamond-studded royal jewels worth hundreds of millions of euros. Although some items were recovered, the thieves, five of whom were convicted, made off with sets of 18th-century jewelry that are considered irreplaceable.
The bizarre landscape of art theft extended to Blenheim Palace, where a golden toilet worth nearly £5 million (over $6 million) was stolen in 2019. The fully functional piece was taken by a group of men who broke in and pried the toilet from its plumbing, leaving the scene flooded. The artwork, titled “America” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, has never been recovered and is believed to have been melted down.
As authorities investigate the latest heist at the Louvre, the world watches closely. The theft not only puts a spotlight on the museum’s security measures but also raises questions about the future of priceless art in an age where daring thefts seem increasingly common.
What happens next in this unfolding story remains to be seen. Keep an eye on updates as more details emerge regarding the stolen treasures and the ongoing investigation into this audacious crime.
