The jewelry stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris during a brazen daylight robbery has been valued at €88 million (£76m; $102m), according to a French public prosecutor citing the museum’s curator.
Laure Beccuau stated on RTL radio that the sum was “extraordinary,” but emphasized that the greater loss was to France’s historical heritage. Among the stolen items were crown jewels and pieces gifted by two Napoleons to their wives.
Thieves, employing power tools, executed the heist in under eight minutes shortly after the world’s most-visited museum opened on Sunday morning.
With the perpetrators still at large more than two days after the incident, experts express concern that the jewelry may already be irretrievable.
Ms. Beccuau voiced hope that publicizing the estimated value of the jewelry would deter the robbers from destroying the items.
She further cautioned that the thieves would not realize the full market value if they entertained “the very bad idea of melting down these jewels.”
The stolen items, previously described as priceless, include a diamond and emerald necklace Emperor Napoleon gifted to his wife, a tiara worn by Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, and several pieces previously owned by Queen Marie-Amelie.
Investigators discovered a damaged crown, formerly belonging to Empress Eugenie, along the thieves’ escape route, suggesting it was dropped during their hasty departure.
Reports indicate that four masked thieves utilized a truck equipped with a mechanical lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) via a balcony near the River Seine.
Two of the thieves reportedly cut through a first-floor glass window using a battery-powered disc cutter before entering the museum and threatening security guards, who then evacuated the building.
The thieves’ attempt to set fire to their vehicle outside the museum was thwarted by a member of the museum staff. Witnesses reported seeing them fleeing on scooters.
French President Emmanuel Macron has characterized the robbery as an attack on France’s cultural heritage.
Security measures have been intensified at cultural institutions nationwide following a preliminary report indicating that one in three rooms in the Louvre lacked CCTV coverage and that its broader alarm system failed to activate.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin criticized the “failed” security protocols, lamenting the “terrible image” left upon France by the thieves’ ability to drive a modified truck directly to the museum.
Authorities suspect the involvement of a professional team, given the speed and organization demonstrated during the heist.
Art recovery experts previously told the BBC that investigators had a limited window of one to two days to recover the items before they could be considered permanently lost.
It is believed the jewelry may be broken down into precious metals and gems, smuggled out of the country, and sold for a fraction of their true value, according to experts.
A 23-year-old construction worker died after a tornado struck Val-d’Oise, north of Paris, on Monday, causing three construction cranes to collapse.
Experts caution that even if the criminals are apprehended, the stolen gemstones may never be recovered.
The world-renowned museum in Paris remains closed on Monday following the raid by a masked gang on one of its galleries.
An investigation is underway to locate the four thieves before the jewels, once belonging to French royals, disappear permanently.
The BBC’s Hugh Schofield reports from outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, where the “extraordinary, daring, and brazen” robbery took place.