Thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole several pieces of the French Crown Jewels from the Galerie d'Apollon, including a diadem, necklace, earrings, and brooches from the parures of Queen Marie-Amélie, Queen Hortense, Empress Marie-Louise, and Empress Eugénie. Two items—the reliquary brooch and the corsage bow—were dropped and recovered, and a ninth item, Empress Eugénie's crown, was also taken but later recovered. The thieves triggered alarms and fled after a fast, violent break-in, leaving behind a cherry picker; no injuries were reported.
This incident matters because it targeted the royal collection of gems and French Crown Jewels, items of inestimable heritage value housed in a high-security museum. The theft underscores vulnerabilities in museum security, even at world-renowned institutions like the Louvre, and prompted France's Ministry of Culture to announce enhanced security measures as part of the 'Louvre – New Renaissance' project. The recovery of most items mitigates the loss, but the event raises ongoing concerns about the protection of national treasures.