Shock robbery in the heart of Paris: Nine jewels belonging to Napoleon and the Empress stolen from the Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum in Paris closed its doors Sunday morning following an armed robbery. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said on social media, "A robbery occurred this morning during the opening of the Louvre Museum. No injuries were reported. I am currently at the scene with museum staff and the police, and investigations are ongoing."

According to security sources speaking to the French press, several robbers entered the museum using the freight elevator during renovations. Their immediate target was the Apollo Gallery. Two men allegedly broke glass display cases and stole nine jewels belonging to Napoleon and Empress Joséphine, while an accomplice, who was standing guard outside, orchestrated the escape.

The Louvre administration announced on Twitter that the museum will be closed to visitors throughout the day due to “extraordinary reasons.”

The Louvre, a symbol of Paris, houses some of the world's most valuable art collections, including Leonardo da Vinci's famous "Mona Lisa." The museum, which welcomes approximately 10 million visitors annually, faces a major security challenge for Parisian tourism with this incident.

French police took heavy security measures around the museum following the incident, while art and tourism circles described the theft as "an attack on cultural heritage."