**Thieves Steal Priceless Napoleonic Jewels in Four-Minute Heist at the Louvre**
A group of professional thieves made off with eight Napoleonic jewels as the Louvre Museum closed for the day last Sunday. According to the French Interior Ministry, the stolen items hold “priceless heritage and historical value,” including jewelry that once belonged to the wives of former French leader Napoleon Bonaparte.
The daring theft took place in the museum’s Apollo gallery, where four thieves, wearing yellow vests and motorcycle helmets, used a truck-mounted ladder to access the building through a window. During their escape, the thieves dropped Empress Eugenie’s emerald crown as they fled on scooters.
Two suspects, both men in their 30s from Seine-Saint-Denis in Paris, were captured on Sunday. Police detained them on charges of “organized gang robbery” and “conspiracy to commit a crime” as investigations continue. Authorities received a tip on Saturday that one suspect was attempting to fly out of Paris Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport to Algeria in North Africa, according to French outlet BFMTV. The other suspect was apprehended shortly afterward. The whereabouts of the other two thieves and the stolen jewels remain unknown.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez praised the arrest in a post on X:
“#Louvre Affair: I extend my warmest congratulations to the investigators who have worked tirelessly as I requested and who have always had my full confidence. The investigations must continue while respecting the confidentiality of the inquiry under the authority of the specialized interregional jurisdiction of @parquetdeParis. It will be with the same determination!! We keep going!!”
The alleged thieves are already known to French police for other robberies and are believed to have been commissioned to carry out this heist, according to Le Parisien.
There are concerns that the stolen jewels may have already been disassembled and sold in parts, as the original pieces are too recognizable to be sold intact. Dutch art detective Arthur Brand told the BBC, “Nobody wants to touch a piece so hot. You cannot show it to your friends, you cannot leave it to your children, you cannot sell it.”
While cutting up the jewels reduces their overall value, the individual stones and components are still expected to be worth millions.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the incident, emphasizing the cultural impact:
“The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our History.”
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to recover the invaluable Napoleonic treasures and bring all those responsible to justice.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/world/3864345/suspects-arrested-theft-louvre-crown-jewels/
