Thieves steal priceless jewels, Paris museum closed

An investigation into organized theft and criminal conspiracy to commit crime has been launched by the Paris public prosecutor’s office, a source inside the office told NBC News.

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said on X that “no injuries were reported.”

“I am on site alongside museum staff and the police. Investigations are ongoing,” she said.

The museum’s official X account said the Louvre would be closed for the rest of the day “for exceptional reasons.”

The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum, hosts millennia of civilization’s greatest treasures. Its most famous work of art is the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo Da Vinci, a 16th-century portrait which depicts an Italian noblewoman with a mysterious smile.

It’s rare for the Louvre to close its doors.

It has happened during war, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and in a handful of strikes.

The museum was shut down in June by its own striking staff, who said the facility was crumbling under the weight of mass tourism.