Louvre Reopens Gallery After Jewelry Heist, But Gilded Treasures Stay Hidden

Sun Sep 06 2026 09:41:17 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Paris's famed Louvre Gallery of Apollo reopens nine months after a daring jewelry theft, leaving all displays empty as investigators chase the missing treasures.

The Louvre’s Gallery of Apollo reopened on Wednesday after thieves stole jewels worth millions in a high‑profile break‑in. Museum director Christophe Leribault announced that the space will no longer house the Crown Jewels, which are now stored elsewhere in secure areas. The heist took place on 19 October, with masked thieves using a truck mounted with mechanical ladders to climb onto the gallery balcony. Four suspects have been arrested, yet the stolen items remain unrecovered. The museum is tightening security and continuing its search for the missing gems.

Louvre Reopens Gallery After Jewelry Heist

The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened its Galerie d’Apollon on Wednesday, nine months after a brazen jewellery heist that saw masked thieves haul in a truck with mechanical ladders to access the gallery from the balcony. The historic space, once home to France’s Crown Jewels, was reopened without any artefacts on display.

"This is an iconic space within the Louvre, but it will no longer house the Crown Jewels and gemstones, which are to be displayed in secure areas elsewhere in the museum," said museum director Christophe Leribault. The director added that security protocols will be intensified following the breach.

The theft, which occurred on 19 October, involved thieves descending via a ladder system mounted on a delivery vehicle. Police have arrested four individuals who prosecutors suspect were the perpetrators, but so far the stolen items have not been recovered.

For more detail on how the gang carried out the robbery, see the BBC resource: How Louvre gang carried out France's most shocking theft.

Published 5 hours ago | Europe | Paris | France