DID Press: Following the theft of several royal jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron pledged the perpetrators will be identified and the historic artifacts will be returned to France as soon as possible.
In a message on X (formerly Twitter), Macron called the theft “an attack on France’s heritage” and emphasized that the stolen jewels form part of the nation’s historical legacy. He confirmed that all responsible authorities, under the supervision of the Paris prosecutor’s office, are investigating the case and that Louvre security measures will be strengthened soon.
According to Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccu, four professional thieves gained access to the Apollo Gallery, where the royal jewels were kept, using a manlift. They succeeded in stealing nine of the most valuable jewels from the Napoleon III era. During their escape, the crown of Empress Eugénie, Napoleon III’s wife, which was adorned with 1,354 diamonds, was dropped and left at the scene.
Preliminary investigations suggest the heist was meticulously planned and may have been commissioned by foreign parties. Paris police, in coordination with Interpol, are searching for leads on cross-border suspects.
The theft has also drawn political criticism. Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally party, accused the French government of failing to protect the nation’s cultural heritage, calling the incident “an intolerable humiliation for France.”
Louvre, world’s largest museum and a symbol of French culture, has faced security threats in the past. However, experts say that the scale of this theft of royal jewels is unprecedented in recent decades, and their recovery is crucial to preserving France’s historical credibility.