France’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, confirmed the incident in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “No one was injured. I am with the museum staff and the police. The investigation is underway.”

The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, described the theft as “a major and highly organized operation.” He revealed that the thieves entered the museum from the rear using a basket lift, stealing rare women’s jewelry made from precious stones and metals.

“It was a group that had carefully planned their actions,” Nuñez said. “They worked with exceptional speed, cutting through metal window frames using industrial tools.”

The Louvre administration announced that the museum would remain closed “for exceptional reasons,” without giving further details. Security officials confirmed that no visitors or staff were injured, though police quickly evacuated the area and restricted access to nearby streets.

Videos circulating on social media showed moments of confusion and panic as visitors tried to leave the museum, while police sealed off roads surrounding the historic palace that once housed French kings.

According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, the robbers gained access through the side facing the River Seine, where construction work was ongoing. They reportedly used a freight elevator to reach the Apollo Gallery, which displays France’s royal crowns and gemstones.

The Louvre, globally renowned for masterpieces such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, has long been regarded as one of the most secure museums in the world.

Security experts now say this may be one of the most audacious and technically sophisticated thefts in France’s history, warning that the stolen treasures could be worth tens of millions of euros.