4 d. ago LISTEN: What we know about the Louvre crown jewel heist as told by AP reporter John Leicester

In this episode of The Story Behind the AP Story, we hear from chief correspondent in Paris, John Leicester covering the Louvre heist — a stunning theft that has shaken the art world and raised questions about museum security. We break down what happened, what authorities know so far, and the big unanswered questions.

Politics

5 d. ago Man seriously injured after confronting four masked thieves on Suron bikes in his garden

Detectives have issued a plea for anyone with CCTV or doorbell footage to come forward

Events

3 w. ago Louvre thieves filmed making painfully slow getaway after whirlwind crown jewels heist

Police are continuing to search for the gang of thieves who broke into the Parisian museum using chainsaws and stole priceless jewellery

Politics

3 w. ago Astonishing new video shows Louvre robbers escaping in a mechanical delivery basket with £76m

This is the moment the brazen robbers who stole priceless jewellery worth an estimated £76million from the Louvre escaped down a ladder before fleeing on scooters. 

Economics

3 w. ago Astonishing new video shows Louvre robbers calmly escaping in a mechanical delivery basket before fleeing with £76m

This is the moment the brazen robbers who stole priceless jewellery from the Louvre escaped down a ladder before fleeing on scooters. 

Economics

3 w. ago Louvre director acknowledges ‘terrible failure’ after €88m jewel heist

Laurence des Cars questioned by senators about daring daytime break-in at Paris museumThe director of the Louvre museum in Paris has acknowledged a “terrible failure” days after thieves took seven minutes to break in via a window and steal jewels worth €88m, admitting there was “highly insufficient” security camera coverage of the outside walls of the vast building.Senators questioned Laurence des Cars about the spectacular heist in which four men used a truck with extendable ladder and furniture hoist to access a balcony, cut through a window and steal jewels from the ornate Apollo gallery during opening hours. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Louvre heist losses put at almost €90m as museum’s head prepares to face MPs

Police continue to search for the criminal gang behind the brazen robbery targeting France’s crown jewelsThe financial loss from France’s most dramatic heist in decades has been put at nearly €90m as the head of the Louvre prepared to face difficult questions over how thieves were able to steal priceless jewellery in broad daylight.As police continued to search for the criminal gang behind the brazen robbery on Sunday, the Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told the broadcaster RTL that the museum’s curator had estimated the losses at about €88m (£76m). Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Louvre raiders netted gems worth £86m in the 'theft of the decade', say experts

A manhunt is continuing after thieves used a crane to break into the Paris art museum - home of Leonardo da Vince’s Mona Lisa

Economics

3 w. ago ‘A Cartier store is better protected’: Louvre heist puts spotlight on security

Securing historic public-facing buildings has never been easy, and is even less so in times of economic constraintTo break into the world’s most-visited museum in broad daylight, grab eight pieces of priceless Napoleonic jewellery and vanish into the Paris traffic on humble scooters may seem like the most audacious of crimes, carried out for international notoriety and ensuing Hollywood film treatments.Experts who observe trends in international art crime, however, see Sunday morning’s heist at the Louvre as something more prosaic: the latest in a series of smash-and-grab thefts focused more on the material value of precious stones or metals than the artifacts’ significance, continuing a pattern that has emerged over the last decade in Germany, Britain and the US. The location, they suggest, would have been of secondary concern to the criminals. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago ‘Smash, grab, melt it down’: how material value likely motivated the Louvre heist

Experts say thieves would struggle to find a buyer if the stolen goods remained intactTo break into the world’s most-visited museum in broad daylight, grab eight pieces of priceless Napoleonic jewellery and vanish into the Paris traffic on humble scooters may seem like the most audacious of crimes, carried out for international notoriety and ensuing Hollywood film treatments.Experts who observe trends in international art crime, however, see Sunday morning’s heist at the Louvre as something more prosaic: the latest in a series of smash-and-grab thefts focused more on the material value of precious stones or metals than the artifacts’ significance, continuing a pattern that has emerged over the last decade in Germany, Britain and the US. The location, they suggest, would have been of secondary concern to the criminals. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Louvre remains closed after robbery of priceless jewellery leaves France 'humiliated'

Thieves stole jewels worth millions from the world’s most-visited museum in a heist which took just seven minutes

Events

3 w. ago Louvre museum robbery: how the thieves broke in, what they stole and what happens next

The French culture ministry said eight pieces were stolen – but not the hugely valuable crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress EugenieThe Louvre – the world’s most-visited museum – was closed suddenly on Sunday after a break-in at its Apollon gallery, the home of the French crown jewels - part of a daring daylight heist that saw priceless Napoleonic jewels stolen.As French police hunt the thieves who stole eight pieces of historic jewellery, questions are being asked about how they did it and who would be in the market for “priceless” items, including a necklace Napoleon gave to his wife. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Louvre heist: hunt on for thieves after eight ‘priceless’ jewellery pieces stolen

Necklace given by Napoleon to his wife among items taken from Paris museum in highly professional daylight robberyFrench police are hunting four thieves who carried out a highly professional daylight robbery on the Louvre, breaking into one of the museum’s most ornate rooms and escaping with eight pieces of “priceless” historic jewellery, including a necklace given by Napoleon to his wife.The world’s most-visited museum was suddenly closed for the day on Sunday after the break-in targeted pieces in two glass cases in its Apollon gallery, where the French crown jewels are held. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Heist at the Louvre: Jewels worth millions stolen from world

The gallery has been forced to close after the chainsaw-wielding thieves made off with jewellery of ‘incalculable value’

Politics

4 w. ago Louvre jewellery heist: How masked gang raided museum and snatched ‘priceless’ jewels in broad daylight

The Mayor of Paris said the robbery was ‘a shock’ that resembled the plot of the mystery thriller Lupin

Events

4 w. ago Louvre closed after ‘masked thieves break into museum using chainsaw’ and steal ‘priceless’ jewellery

The Louvre museum in Paris was closed and members of the public evacuated, French officials confirmed

Events

4 w. ago ‘Priceless’ jewellery stolen from Louvre in raid by ‘experienced’ thieves

French minister says highly professional criminals used angle grinder to access one of museum’s most ornate rooms“Priceless” historic jewellery has been stolen from the Louvre in Paris after a highly professional robbery by men who used an angle grinder to break through glass and enter one of the museum’s most ornate rooms.The world’s most-visited museum was suddenly closed for the day after the break-in targeted pieces in two glass cases in its Apollon gallery, where the French crown jewels are held. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Brazen thieves drop priceless Eugénie crown outside the Louvre in Paris during jaw

The group of criminals swiped priceless items, including a necklace and a brooch, once belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine in broad daylight, forcing the attraction to shut its doors.

Politics

4 w. ago Louvre museum in Paris closed after robbery, says French minister

The museum has been closed until further notice, authorities said

Politics

4 w. ago Heist at the Louvre: Jewels worth millions are stolen from world

Posting on its official X account, the museum said it ‘will remain closed today for exceptional reasons’

Politics