7 months ago
2
A jewellery heist astatine Paris’ Louvre depository has formed France successful a “deplorable” light, Justice Minister Gerard Darmanin said connected Monday (October 20, 2025) arsenic Opposition politicians criticised the authorities for what they branded a nationalist humiliation.
Thieves connected Sunday (October 19) broke into the Louvre, 1 of the world’s astir celebrated museums, utilizing a crane to smash an upstairs window, past stealing priceless objects from an country that houses the French crown jewels earlier escaping connected motorbikes.
The theft, which respective newspapers called “heist of the century”, grabbed headlines globally.
“What is definite is that we failed,” Mr. Darmanin told France Inter radio, saying the heist gave a “negative” and “deplorable” representation of France. “The French radical each consciousness similar they’ve been robbed.”
Emergency gathering implicit security
The break-in raised awkward questions astir information astatine the museum, which is location to artworks specified arsenic the Mona Lisa and which welcomed 8.7 cardinal visitors successful 2024. The depository remained closed connected Monday (October 20).
The robbery took betwixt six to 7 minutes and was carried retired by 4 radical who were unarmed but who threatened the guards with space grinders, the Paris authoritative has said. Mr. Darmanin said the robbers, who are inactive connected the run, would yet beryllium found. But that did not soothe the choler implicit the theft.
This heist “is an unbearable humiliation for our country. How acold volition the disintegration of the authorities go?” Jordan Bardella, person of the far-right National Rally party, said connected X. Francois-Xavier Bellamy, of the blimpish Republicans party, called it “a grounds of a state that cannot support its heritage”.
The stolen jewellery included a tiara from the jewellery acceptable of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, from the aboriginal 19th century, arsenic good arsenic an earring, portion of a brace from the sapphire jewellery acceptable of the aforesaid queens.
The crown of Empress Eugenie was recovered extracurricular the museum. The thieves seemingly dropped the piece, made of gold, emerald and diamonds, arsenic they made their getaway.
The Culture and Interior Ministries were holding an exigency gathering connected Monday to sermon the information of the Louvre, officials said.
Meanwhile the museum, which had been expected to re-open connected Monday, remained closed. “Due to exceptional circumstances, the Louvre depository volition stay closed today. Visitors who had booked a circuit for contiguous volition beryllium refunded,” its website said.
