In brief
The Louvre reopened its Galerie d’Apollon to visitors on Wednesday, a full nine months after masked thieves stole jewellery worth millions using a truck‑mounted ladder from a balcony. While the gallery’s magnificent marble corridors are back in the public eye, the prized crown jewels and gemstones it once displayed are gone and have yet to be recovered. Museum director Christophe Leribault announced that the space will no longer house those artefacts and notes plans to relocate them to more secure areas. Police have arrested four suspects in connection with the theft, but the stolen items remain unclaimed. The incident has sparked renewed discussion about security and provenance in world‑famous museums.
Video: Louvre’s Gallery Reopens
The Louvre Museum in Paris opened its historic Galerie d'Apollon to visitors on Wednesday, a full nine months after masked thieves stole jewellery worth millions from the gallery.
The spectacular corridor, once home to France's crown jewels, now stands a quiet reminder of the crime: there is no display of the precious items, and the space will remain closed to those artifacts for the foreseeable future.
“This is an iconic space within the Louvre, but it will no longer house the Crown Jewels and gemstones, which are to be displayed in secure areas elsewhere in the museum,” said museum director Christophe Leribault.
The heist took place on 19 October when the thieves used a delivery truck equipped with a mechanical ladder to access the gallery via an adjacent balcony. The thieves fled with the stolen jewels, which have yet to be recovered.
Police arrested four individuals whom prosecutors allege were involved in the robbery. While four suspects are now in custody, the missing jewellery remains unclaimed.
The Louvre’s reopening marks a significant moment for the museum, but the empty halls now echo with the loss of the gem‑laden crown jewels. The incident has reignited discussions on how the world’s most treasured collections are protected and displayed under the burden of modern security threats.
