Paris, France the world’s most visited museum, the Louvre, became the scene of a stunning crime early Tuesday morning when a group of professional thieves broke in and stole several priceless works of art, according to officers
” Two of the thieves dressed as construction workers used the cherry picker to get up to the second floor, where they cut through the window of the Apollo Gallery using angle grinders”.
Security officials reported that the suspects entered the building at approximately 3:20 a.m., skillfully disabling alarm systems and security cameras before reaching a gallery that displayed Renaissance masterpieces.
Among the stolen items was Madonna with the Veil, a sixteenth-century painting valued at more than fifty million dollars. Two smaller Renaissance pieces and 8 pieces of jewelry were also taken, while jewelry, sculptures, and archaeological artifacts remained untouched. Investigators believe the thieves planned the operation in great detail, possibly with inside knowledge of the museum’s security system.
Authorities say the thieves made their escape through a maintenance corridor that connects to the Seine River, where a small speedboat was believed to be waiting. The museum has been temporarily closed as police conduct a full security inspection and gather evidence.
The French Ministry of Culture has described the theft as a devastating blow to both France and the global art community. Interpol has joined the investigation, suspecting that the heist may be linked to an organized art crime network operating across Europe.
“We have a security system that does not meet what we would expect from a museum,”
Lafon said on Tuesday while standing outside the world’s most visited museum.
Witnesses reported seeing two unmarked vans parked near the western entrance of the museum late Monday night, but no arrests have been made. A substantial reward has been offered for any information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks, in the $102 million Louvre jewel heist, the president of France’s Senate Culture Committee said the museum is
“Not up to standard”
for guarding it against other bandits, showing the lack of care for these historical artifacts.
