October 22, 2025 | 07:10 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jewels belonging to the royal family, which were stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris, are estimated to be worth more than US$100 million (equivalent to Rp1.6 trillion). Last week, the robbery took place in broad daylight and was over quickly.
"It is important to remember that this damage is an economic damage, but it is nothing compared to the historical damage caused by this theft," said Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau in an interview on Tuesday, as quoted from Al Jazeera.
"The Louvre curator estimated the damages to be 88 million euros," said Beccuau. The total amounts to US$102 million.
The stolen jewels include tiaras and earrings from the couple Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense, from the early 19th century. The Crown of Empress Eugenie was found outside the museum, seemingly dropped by the thieves as they made their escape.
This audacious robbery involved four masked thieves who used a van to break the windows on the top floor of the Apollo Gallery at the Louvre, home to the remaining French crown jewels. The thieves then grabbed the jewels in a seven-minute daylight heist before fleeing on motorbikes.
Louvre Director Laurence des Cars has not made any public statements since the theft. She is expected to appear before a French Senate cultural committee on Wednesday. The brazen robbery has angered the public due to the lack of security in French museums.
In January, Des Cars had warned French Culture Minister Rachida Dati about the deteriorating state of the museum. Extensive renovations are needed in several museums in France. Last month, criminals also broke into the Museum of Natural History in Paris and made off with gold nuggets valued at over US$1.5 million.
French authorities announced on Tuesday that a 24-year-old Chinese woman has been detained in connection with the case. She was arrested in Barcelona while attempting to dispose of nearly 1 kg of molten gold.
Last month, thieves made off with two plates and a vase from a museum in the city centre of Limoges, estimated to be worth US$7.6 million.
The French Court of Auditors noted that security improvements at the Louvre have been repeatedly delayed. A document covering the period from 2019 to 2024 revealed that only a quarter of one wing of the museum was under video surveillance.
The Louvre is expected to reopen on Wednesday, following a two-day closure due to a police investigation and its regular Tuesday closure.
Labour unions have complained that the number of security staff at the Louvre has been reduced despite a surge in visitors to see the Mona Lisa painting. According to the Louvre's website, the institution received around 8.7 million visitors last year, and 8.9 million in 2023. The Louvre Museum is also ranked among the world's top heritage sites and largest museums.
French media reported earlier this year that the entrance fee to the Louvre for non-EU visitors is expected to increase from 22 to 30 euros ($25.50 to $34.84) per person starting January 1, 2026.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati stated that the theft at the Louvre Museum was not due to a failure of the security apparatus. She emphasized that the museum's security equipment was functioning properly.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez had previously stated that the museum's alarm sounded when the thieves broke the window of the Apollo Gallery. He also ensured that there were numerous cameras at the Louvre.
Police arrived at the scene 2-3 minutes after receiving reports from witnesses. Indeed, the robbery lasted less than eight minutes, with only four of those minutes spent inside the Louvre Museum.
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