Culture

Louvre, value of stolen jewellery is 88 million euro

Strong controversy in France after the museum theft: the National Front accuses Dominque Buffin, the first woman to head the service in history, of being incompetent but only appointed for 'pink quotas'

21 October 2025

A board reads that the opening of the Louvre museum is delayed, but it remains closed for the day after Sunday's jewels robbery, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Value of jewellery stolen from the Louvre is 88 million euros
Rejected visitors
First female leader is under indictment
The National Front rails against 'pink quotas'

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

TheMuseum du Louvre remained closed on Monday, the day after the theft of historical jewellery from the world's most visited museum in a daring daylight scheme that prompted authorities to reassess security measures at cultural sites across France.

Value of jewellery stolen from the Louvre is 88 million euros

The value of the stolen Crown Jewels is estimated at EUR 88 million, according to prosecutor Laure Beccuau.

Rejected visitors

Museum staff asked dozens of visitors queuing in front of the entrance to the glass pyramid to leave. In a message posted on social media, the Louvre said that visitors who had booked tickets would be refunded. It did not provide further details. The Louvre will also remain closed on Tuesday, its weekly closing day.

On Sunday, thieves used a basket elevator to climb up the façade of the Louvre, forcing a window, smashing windows and making off with priceless Napoleonic jewellery, officials reported. The theft occurred about 30 minutes after the museum opened, with visitors already inside, and was among the highest-profile museum thefts in living memory. The last theft at the Louvre was in 1998.

Furto al Louvre, il video che mostra i ladri in azione

The first female leader is under indictment

The Louvre's head of security, Dominique Buffin, was accused of being hired not on merit but on DEI (Diversity and Inclusion) policies and of putting France's national treasures at risk: the daring raid has humiliated France has also highlighted long-standing concerns about the security of the Louvre.

Ms Buffin,46 years old, was hired as the first woman head of security by Laurence des Cars, the museum's first female director, last September. But yesterday, Ms Buffin, who has held positions in the police and the French Ministry of Culture, faced calls for her resignation and accusations of unsuitability for the role.Marion Maréchal, MEP and granddaughter of Marine Le Pen, declared that France is 'the laughing stock of the world' because of the 'ridiculous theft'.

National Front rails against 'pink quotas'

She wrote on social media: 'The Minister of Culture must demand the immediate resignation of the museum director and the head of security, whom she appointed as part of a policy of feminisation. It is the cost of giving up competence: endangering the cultural heritage of our nation'. Ms Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National party, called the raid a 'wound to the soul of the country'.

Party president Jordan Bardella also lashed out against the theft: 'This robbery, which allowed thieves to steal the French Crown Jewels, is an intolerable humiliation for our country.