PARIS : From 9 a.m. (0700 GMT), visitors once again streamed into the world’s most visited museum, home to the Mona Lisa, after its sudden closure earlier this week. However, the Apollo Gallery, where Sunday’s audacious heist took place, remains off-limits as investigators comb through evidence.
Authorities believe the theft was carried out by a highly organized crime group. The suspects reportedly used a ladder mounted on a truck to climb into the museum, snatching eight priceless items before dropping a diamond-studded crown in their escape. Among the stolen treasures were an emerald-and-diamond necklace once gifted by Napoleon I to his wife Empress Marie-Louise, and a diadem belonging to Empress Eugénie adorned with nearly 2,000 diamonds.
The theft, which shocked the art world, comes amid growing concerns over security lapses at French museums, two of which suffered break-ins just last month. On Monday, disappointed tourists were turned away at the museum’s entrance, with the closure extended through Tuesday as per its regular schedule.
Following a $100 million heist, the Louvre Museum has reopened, but the Apollo Gallery is still under investigation. The theft, executed by a sophisticated crime group, involved the use of a truck-mounted ladder to steal eight valuable items, including a necklace from Napoleon I. The incident highlights security issues at French museums.