Thieves Steal "Priceless" Jewels from Louvre, Flee on Motorbikes

Thieves have broken into Paris’ Louvre Museum through a window, stealing “priceless” items of jewelry before escaping on motorbikes, the French government said, Sybille de La Hamaide and John Cotton reported for Reuters.

Management of the world's most-visited museum did not specify which items had been taken.

The thieves struck around 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT; 3:30 p.m. in Manila), after the museum had already opened its doors to the public, entering the Galerie d’Apollon building, home to the French Crown Jewels, the Interior Ministry said.

It did not specify which items had been taken.

“The investigation has begun, and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled. Beyond their market value, these items have priceless heritage and historical value,” the ministry said in a statement.

No injuries were reported among the public, Louvre staff, or law enforcement officers, it added.

The Louvre — the world’s most-visited museum and home to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa — said on X that it would remain closed for the day for “exceptional reasons.”

Last year, the museum welcomed 8.7 million visitors.