Jewellery stolen from the Louvre in Paris in a daring daylight robbery has been valued at 88 million euros (£76m; $102m), a French public prosecutor has said, citing the museum's curator. Laure Beccuau told RTL radio the sum was 'extraordinary' but said the greater loss was to France's historical heritage. Crown jewels and pieces gifted by two Napoleons to their wives were among the items taken.
Thieves wielding power tools took less than eight minutes to make off with the loot shortly after the world's most-visited museum opened on Sunday morning. With the thieves having not been caught more than two days post-heist, experts fear the jewellery will already be long gone.
Ms Beccuau expressed hope that announcing the estimated worth of the jewellery would deter the robbers from destroying it. She indicated that melting down the jewels would result in a significant loss for them financially.
Among the stolen items is a diamond and emerald necklace that Emperor Napoleon gifted to his wife, along with a tiara worn by Empress Eugenie, and various pieces previously owned by Queen Marie-Amelie. A crown belonging to Empress Eugenie was discovered along the thieves' escape route, indicating a hasty departure.
The robbery was executed by four masked thieves who used a truck equipped with a mechanical lift to access the museum's Galerie d'Apollon. They cut through a glass window and threatened security guards, who evacuated the space. Following their escape, the thieves attempted to set fire to their vehicle but were thwarted by museum personnel.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the act as an attack on France's cultural heritage, prompting a review and tightening of security protocols across the nation’s cultural institutions. Preliminary findings revealed significant gaps, with many rooms in the Louvre lacking CCTV coverage.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin lamented the security failures that allowed the thieves such easy access. Forensic experts warn that the stolen items likely have already been disassembled and smuggled out of the country, potentially sold for only a fraction of their true worth.
Thieves wielding power tools took less than eight minutes to make off with the loot shortly after the world's most-visited museum opened on Sunday morning. With the thieves having not been caught more than two days post-heist, experts fear the jewellery will already be long gone.
Ms Beccuau expressed hope that announcing the estimated worth of the jewellery would deter the robbers from destroying it. She indicated that melting down the jewels would result in a significant loss for them financially.
Among the stolen items is a diamond and emerald necklace that Emperor Napoleon gifted to his wife, along with a tiara worn by Empress Eugenie, and various pieces previously owned by Queen Marie-Amelie. A crown belonging to Empress Eugenie was discovered along the thieves' escape route, indicating a hasty departure.
The robbery was executed by four masked thieves who used a truck equipped with a mechanical lift to access the museum's Galerie d'Apollon. They cut through a glass window and threatened security guards, who evacuated the space. Following their escape, the thieves attempted to set fire to their vehicle but were thwarted by museum personnel.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the act as an attack on France's cultural heritage, prompting a review and tightening of security protocols across the nation’s cultural institutions. Preliminary findings revealed significant gaps, with many rooms in the Louvre lacking CCTV coverage.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin lamented the security failures that allowed the thieves such easy access. Forensic experts warn that the stolen items likely have already been disassembled and smuggled out of the country, potentially sold for only a fraction of their true worth.
