French police arrested two men for stealing priceless royal jewels from the world-famous Louvre Museum. The robbery, which happened on October 19, left the country in shock and was described as a “national embarrassment.”

According to reports, the thieves stole eight pieces of historic jewelry valued at around $102 million. They used a crane to smash a window during opening hours and fled the scene on motorbikes.

The 8-Minute Operation

Investigators said the heist lasted just eight minutes. The robbers pretended to be renovation workers and arrived in a truck fitted with a basket lift around 9:30 a.m. They parked near the museum on Quai François Mitterrand by the Seine River and placed traffic cones to make it look like a maintenance job.

Two men climbed a ladder to reach a balcony and entered through a window. At 9:34 a.m., they broke into the Apollo Gallery, where royal jewels were displayed. The alarm went off immediately, and security staff radioed the command centre to report intruders.

Within a minute, the robbers used disc cutters to slice open two glass display cases and took the jewels. Security guards then began evacuating visitors for safety. The museum’s manager called the local police station to report a theft in progress and requested urgent assistance.

By 9:36 a.m., a team leader hit an emergency button linked directly to Paris police headquarters. Two minutes later, the thieves escaped through the same window, meeting two accomplices waiting outside on scooters. They fled east, leaving behind a yellow jacket, disc cutter, and other tools.

France’s Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, confirmed that security guards stopped one of the robbers from setting the truck on fire.

Priceless Jewels Stolen

The thieves made off with some of France’s most valuable royal treasures, including:

• Emerald necklace of Empress Marie-Louise, wife of Napoleon I

• Emerald earrings worn by Empress Marie-Louise

• Crown and brooch belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III

• Crown worn by Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense

• Sapphire necklace and earrings used by both queens

• Reliquary brooch

Police later found one of the most iconic stolen pieces — the emerald-set imperial crown of Empress Eugénie, which held over 1,300 diamonds — discarded outside the museum.

Investigation Underway

Authorities continue to investigate how the thieves managed to bypass Louvre’s tight security. The rapid execution, disguise, and escape have drawn comparisons to Hollywood-style heists.

The arrests mark the first major breakthrough in what officials call one of France’s most audacious museum robberies in decades.