The robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris yielded to the robbers eight jewels of “inestimable heritage value”, including Empress Eugenie’s tiara and two necklaces, the French government said.
According to the French Ministry of Culture, a ninth item, the crown of Empress Eugénia de Montijo (1853-1870), wife of Napoleon III, was left behind during the escape from the assailants and is being evaluated.
According to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, the group was made up of four men with their faces covered, who fled “on high-powered scooters” after the robbery. Authorities are investigating the existence of possible “sponsors or internal agents” linked to the crime.
Investigation does not rule out foreign interference
“All of this demonstrates preparation,” Beccuau told BFMTV, adding that, although possible foreign interference cannot be ruled out, this “is not the preferred hypothesis.”
Among the lines of investigation, authorities are considering the possibility that the theft was ordered by a private collector or that the objective was to dismantle the pieces to sell the precious stones individually.
The French Ministry of Culture classified the theft as “a blow to French heritage” and highlighted that the stolen jewels “are part of the history and cultural identity of France”.
Paris police have launched a large-scale operation to identify and capture the assailants, while the Louvre remains partially closed to the public until further security assessment.