Jerusalem: The Louvre Museum has sought assistance from an Israeli private intelligence company to track down jewels stolen in a bold daylight heist, the firm’s CEO said Monday.

“The Louvre exceptionally asked us to uncover the identity of people involved in the theft and to retrieve the stolen artefacts,” CGI Group CEO Zvika Naveh told AFP, noting his company's experience in recovering items stolen from a German museum in 2019 played a role in the museum’s decision.

Brazen daylight robbery

The theft happened on Sunday morning in the Galerie d’Apollon, a vaulted hall in the Denon wing that houses part of the French Crown Jewels beneath a ceiling painted by the court artist of King Louis XIV. Thieves struck just after the museum opened, carrying out the raid in seven minutes.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described it as a “major robbery,” saying the intruders gained access from outside using a basket lift, cut through window panes with a disc cutter, and made their escape on two-wheelers. Video footage from the scene showed tourists being escorted out as police secured the gates and closed nearby streets along the Seine.

French authorities reported that nine pieces of jewellery were taken, including one believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown, which was later found outside the museum in a broken state. The stolen items are considered of “inestimable” historical value.

Security and museum response

Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the museum’s closure on X, citing “exceptional reasons” and adding, “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum.” No injuries were reported during the heist.

Security remains tight around major works such as the Mona Lisa, which is protected by bulletproof glass and a custom high-tech display. Staffing and visitor management have long been issues at the museum, with previous walkouts over overcrowding and chronic understaffing. It is not immediately clear whether these factors contributed to Sunday’s theft.

In January, President Emmanuel Macron announced a €700 million “Louvre New Renaissance” plan aimed at modernising infrastructure, easing crowding, and giving the Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery by 2031. Workers say improvements have yet to reach the museum floor.

Investigation underway

Authorities deployed 60 investigators to pursue leads, working on the theory that an organised crime group carried out the robbery. A detailed inventory of the stolen items is being compiled as forensic analysis continues.

The thieves reportedly entered through the Seine-facing facade, where construction was underway, and used a freight elevator to reach the gallery. They broke windows and stole nine pieces from the jewellery collections of Napoleon and the Empress.

A history of heists

The Louvre, home to over 33,000 works spanning antiquities, sculpture, and painting, has a long history of thefts. The most famous occurred in 1911, when Vincenzo Peruggia, a former employee, stole the Mona Lisa. The painting was recovered two years later in Florence.

Recent European museum thefts provide context for Sunday’s raid, including the 2019 Dresden Green Vault heist of diamond-studded royal jewels and the 2017 Bode Museum theft in Berlin, where burglars stole a 100-kilogram gold coin.

The Louvre remained closed Monday as police continued their hunt for the thieves. Officials said the museum might not reopen until Wednesday, as it is typically closed on Tuesdays.

(With inputs from AP, AFP)