'Chainsaw-wielding' thieves steal 'priceless' jewellery from Louvre in brazen heist
The suspected thieves reportedly escaped on a motor-scooter through the streets of Paris.
A gang of chainsaw-wielding thieves have broken into France's iconic Louvre museum, stealing "priceless" Napoleon-era jewellery in the process.
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Multiple masked men broke into the museum on Sunday morning before opening time.
The robbers used a mechanised list against the side of the building. They then broke a window into the Apollo Gallery.
Once inside, the thieves stole jewels that were in display cases and then left on motorbikes. The heist took seven minutes.
The men, suspected to be three or four in number, then jumped onto a motor scooter to escape.
The items stolen are believed to be Napoleonic jewellery of "incalculable" value, said French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
Security and members of the public locked inside the Louvre after its robbery today #louvre #paris #robbery pic.twitter.com/ai6v4htlmy
— tom (@whatyouthinktom) October 19, 2025
Members of the public appeared to be locked inside following the robbery as police sweep the galleries.
French culture minister Rachida Dati said she was on-site with "museum teams and police" investigating the robbery at one the world's most famous museums.
"No injuries to report," she confirmed on social media.
Musée du Louvre confirmed the closure on X, writing "the Museum will remain closed today for exceptional reasons".
French interior minister Laurent Nunez described the items stolen as "priceless."
"They broke a window and went towards several display cases where they stole jewellery," he said.
"These are jewels that have genuine heritage value and are, in fact, priceless."
The museum is home to some of history's most iconic works of art.
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the ancient Greek sculpture Venus de Milo, and the Hellenistic sculpture Winged Victory of Samothrace can be found in the Parisian gallery.
