Seven Minutes of Horror: How Thieves Stole Empress Eugénie’s Crown from the Louvre

For us journalists, this is not just a crime chronicle—it is a story that damages the reputation of one of the world’s greatest cultural institutions. On Sunday, October 19, a brazen attack occurred at the Louvre, the most famous museum on the planet, in the center of Paris. The Paris prosecutor’s office immediately launched an investigation on suspicion of “organized theft and criminal conspiracy,” as the criminals’ actions were too professional.

Unfortunately, this incident coincided with a grim “anniversary”: this very month marks one hundred years since the death of Vincenzo Peruggia—the glazier who stole the “Mona Lisa” in 1911. Back then, after closing, he simply took the painting off the wall, hid it under his coat, and walked out. Today’s thieves acted much more technologically.

The publication MODISTA promptly collected all known details of the “great robbery” of the Louvre, which shook all of France.

A Hollywood Action Movie Scenario: Details of the Brazen Crime

Imagine this: morning, museum opening hours, and the “special operation” lasts only… seven minutes. During this minuscule time, a gang of elusive thieves managed to carry out a large-scale theft. True, one of the stolen jewels was later found near the museum. This may indicate haste or that it was “not a target” for the robbers.

How Did They Get Inside and What Did They Take?

The robbers arrived on scooters, their faces securely covered. The infiltration scheme was simple and effective, like in a movie:

1. They drove a truck with a lifting mechanism directly to the museum wall.
2. They cut out a window, which gave them access to the Galerie d’Apollon — the location where the collection of imperial jewels is kept.
3. The main target: Empress Eugénie’s Crown, one of the most significant symbols of the French monarchy.
4. In addition to the crown, nine other items from the collection of Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine were stolen, including a necklace and a brooch.

Interestingly, the unique Regent diamond remained untouched next to the stolen relics. Why the thieves ignored one of the world’s most valuable exhibits is a mystery that the investigation has yet to solve.

Phantom Jewels: Where Will the Imperial Relics Disappear?

Uniqueness as Protection and as a Verdict

Experts in the theft of art and jewelry believe that these stolen jewels are unlikely ever to “surface” on the legal black market. The reason is simple: they are too recognizable.

The most probable version is that it was a theft “to order.” That is, the precious items already have their owner — a private collector who is ready to keep them in a secret vault, away from prying eyes.

Historical Reference about the Eugénie Crown

To understand the weight of the loss, it is worth recalling the history: Empress Eugénie’s Crown was created in the 19th century for the wife of Napoleon III. It is not just a decoration but an embodiment of French history. In 1988, the jewel was sold at auction for $13.5 million, and four years later, in 1992, it joined the Louvre collection. Today, its true value is estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

This is the first such brazen robbery at the Louvre in recent decades, despite its reputation as one of the safest museums in the world. Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak has already announced that the government will implement additional, enhanced security measures in all national museums.

“This is not only an attack on the cultural heritage of France but also on our historical memory,” she emphasized.

The Authorities’ Reaction: Macron Promises to Find the Guilty

Address by the President of France

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted to the robbery on his X social media page, assuring citizens that the Paris prosecutor’s office is doing everything possible to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He called the robbery “an attack on the heritage we cherish because it is part of our history.”

“We will recover the works, and the guilty will be brought to justice. Under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor’s office, everything possible is being done everywhere to achieve this goal,” Macron stressed.

Le vol commis au Louvre est une atteinte à un patrimoine que nous chérissons car il est notre Histoire.

Nous retrouverons les œuvres et les auteurs seront traduits en justice. Tout est mis en œuvre, partout, pour y arriver, sous la conduite du parquet de Paris.…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 19, 2025

An Unpleasant Trend: Robberies of French Museums

Journalists of the publication Le Parisien note that the Louvre robbery, unfortunately, is a continuation of a series of thefts that have shaken French museums recently. We are dealing with organized crime that, it seems, has targeted national treasures.

Here are just a few examples:

• On the night of September 4, two Chinese plates and a vase with a total value of over 6 million euros were stolen from the National Museum Adrien-Dubouché in Limoges.
• The National Museum of Natural History in Paris announced the theft of gold nuggets on the night of September 16. The total value of the loss reached about 600 thousand euros.

Today, October 20, the Louvre is closed while the investigation is underway.

France’s Most Notorious Museum Thefts: Is History Repeating Itself?

Of course, thefts from the Louvre have always been a rare phenomenon, but their prominence was maximum. The most famous crime, as we already mentioned, occurred in 1911 with the “Mona Lisa”. Back then, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece was found only three years later in Florence and returned. It is worth noting that at that time, it was not yet the world icon it is today.

In recent history, there have also been brazen incidents:

• In 2024, armed robbers attacked a museum in Paray-le-Monial, stealing jewelry by Joseph Chaumet — a national treasure.
• In October 2025, four people were arrested on suspicion of robbing the Jacques Chirac museum.

This shows that, unfortunately, even enhanced measures do not always stop professional criminals who view masterpieces of art not as heritage, but as highly liquid commodities. We can only hope that the French police will succeed in solving this crime and returning the valuable artifacts to their rightful place.