Newly released surveillance footage shows masked thieves breaking into the Louvre's Apollo gallery in October 2025, using disc cutters to slice open display cases and steal France's crown jewels. The heist occurred under staff observation, with no security guards present, and police have since identified five suspects via DNA evidence, arresting four, though the jewels remain missing. The footage was broadcast on French TV on January 18, 2026, as the museum faces its third staff strike in over a month.
The theft and strikes compound a crisis at the world's most visited museum, where director Laurence des Cars faces union calls for resignation over pay disputes and alleged failure to address urgent infrastructure issues. The museum's €700 million ($820 million) "Nouvelle Renaissance" renovation plan, backed by President Emmanuel Macron, has been criticized as unrealistic by unions, who demand immediate technical repairs. The closures have cost the Louvre at least €1 million ($1.2 million), deepening scrutiny of des Cars' leadership and the museum's governance.