Louvre museum CLOSED as French minister confirms police investigating robbery

French interior minister Laurent Nunez described the beak as a "major robbery" which lasted seven minutes.

Three individuals managed to escape with jewellery soon after the museum opened on Sunday.

He added: "They broke a window and went towards several display cases where they stole jewellery."

"These are jewels that have genuine heritage value and are, in fact, priceless."

A necklace, a brooch, and a tiara were reportedly among the stolen items.

The thieves targeted a room in the Apollo Gallery, where what remains of France’s crown jewels is kept.

According to preliminary findings from the investigation, they were fully hooded and gained access to the building by climbing a platform mounted on a lorry on the Seine River side, where construction work was taking place.

Two of the men entered the building through a smashed window and stole nine pieces from Napoleon and the Empress's jewellery collection, according to reports.

They then escaped on two motor scooters, with the third individual who had waited outside the building.

French minister Rachida Dati confirmed on social media that no one was injured during the break-in.

She added: "I am on site alongside the museum teams and the police."

Officials from the Louvre confirmed that the museum would "remain closed today" on its official X account, citing "exceptional reasons".

The museum has not confirmed the items reportedly stolen.

Footage on social media appears to show security and members of the public locked inside the Louvre museum following the incident.

One person wrote on X: "Just got to the Louvre and can see the security are locked inside! Everyone at the gates is being told that they cannot go in and that it is shut for today."

Located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement and home to some of the most infamous works of Western art, the National Art Museum in Paris is one of the most famous museums in the world.

The artwork includes the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory.

The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, initially built in the late 12th to 13th century under Philip II.

Remnants of the Medieval Louvre fortress are visible in the museum's basement.

The attraction is the world's most-visited museum and a prominent tourist destination in the French capital, attracting up to nine million visitors each year.

In 2024, it received 8.7 million visitors, more than double the four million it was designed to accommodate.

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