The Louvre Museum in Paris remained closed on Monday as investigations continued into the audacious theft of historic French crown jewels, with experts warning that the chances of recovering the stolen treasures are extremely slim.

In a statement posted on X, the museum expressed regret over its closure, saying it was necessary as French authorities probe Sunday’s “extraordinary” heist that has shocked the nation. The robbers made off with artefacts dating back to the Napoleonic era — including royal jewellery once worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense.

According to officials, the thieves used a truck-mounted ladder to access the Apollo Gallery, one of the Louvre’s most ornate halls, through a window. Equipped with an angle grinder and blowtorch, they broke into two high-security display cases in an operation that lasted just seven minutes.

Eight of the nine stolen items remain missing, fuelling concerns that the priceless jewels may already have been dismantled or sold.

French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin acknowledged that the heist revealed major lapses in museum security.

One can wonder about the fact that, for example, the windows hadn’t been secured, about the fact that a basket lift was on a public road,” Darmanin told France Inter radio. “What is certain is that we have failed. The French people all feel like they’ve been robbed.”

Natalie Goulet, a centrist member of the French Senate, offered a bleak assessment of the recovery prospects when speaking to the BBC.

None,” she said bluntly. “The jewellery will be cut up and sold and used as a money-laundering system. It’s the easiest way to clean dirty money.”

Goulet added that the theft was likely the work of organised crime groups. “They have absolutely no morals,” she said. “They don’t appreciate the jewellery as a piece of history but as a means to launder their dirty money.”

The Louvre has not yet announced when it will reopen to the public as security reviews and forensic investigations continue.

# BBC, CNN