The Louvre Transfers Royal Treasures to Banque de France Vault Following ‘The Heist of the Century’
The spectacular and deeply concerning heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, which exposed a worrying vulnerability in the security of the world’s most-visited museum, has triggered an extraordinary and unprecedented response.
In a dramatic move to safeguard the nation’s remaining historic artefacts, the Louvre has executed the transfer of some of the most precious and rare French Crown Jewels to the high-security vaults of the Banque de France, all conducted under the strict surveillance and guard of specialist French police forces.
This urgent, precautionary measure follows a ‘daring’ daylight robbery where highly professional thieves successfully made off with eight priceless, historical pieces.
The brazen robbery, which occurred last week on Sunday, October 19, 2025, has highlighted a critical “security gap” at the Louvre, prompting the administration to immediately decide on the transfer of key elements from the “Crown Jewels” collection, which were on display in the historic Galerie d’Apollon wing, along with other valuable jewels from different sections, to a secure subterranean sanctuary in the heart of the capital.
The need for this unparalleled strict surveillance and immediate relocation is a direct consequence of the shockwave that this “heist of the century” has sent through the entire French cultural and security establishment.
Headline Points
• Urgent Relocation: The Louvre Museum has urgently moved its rarest jewels to the underground vault of the Banque de France.
• Precautionary Action: The transfer is a swift, precautionary measure following the audacious heist that targeted the Galerie d’Apollon, resulting in the theft of eight royal jewellery pieces.
• Maximum Security: The transport operation, which took place on Friday, October 24, 2025, was carried out under the extensive deployment of specialist police units to ensure the complete safety of the artefacts.
• The Fortress Vault: The Crown Jewels are now stored in the gigantic Banque de France vault, located 27 metres below ground, which also houses France’s gold reserves.
• Heist Details: The sophisticated robbers used a crane and a truck to breach the museum via an upper-floor window during operating hours, escaping on motorbikes in an operation that lasted only seven minutes.
• Estimated Value: The eight stolen items, once owned by French queens and empresses, are valued at approximately €88 million (around $102 million USD).
• Security Fallout: The high-profile theft has sparked a major debate in France, revealing critical weaknesses in the museum’s external surveillance system.
The Louvre Transfers Priceless Treasures to the Deep Vault
French media reports, citing sources close to the ongoing investigation, confirmed that the transfer operation commenced on Friday.
A significant collection of precious historical items, particularly those dating back to the French monarchy, were moved from their display cases to the vault of the Banque de France.
This underground repository, considered one of the safest places in the nation and the holder of the country’s gold reserves, is situated 27 metres below ground and lies only about 500 metres from the museum on the Right Bank of the Seine.
The entire delicate operation was executed under the secret yet intense supervision and strict surveillance of police units to ensure the complete and secure transition of the national treasures.
A Heist That Shakes France’s Pride
The context for this momentous decision lies in the stunningly professional robbery on October 19, 2025.
A masked gang of thieves managed to penetrate the famed Galerie d’Apollon, the wing that houses the remaining French Crown Jewels, and steal eight precious, historic pieces.
Initial investigations indicate that the thieves employed a truck equipped with a mechanical crane to smash a window on the museum’s upper floor while it was still open to the public.
The entirety of the heist took a mere six to seven minutes, after which the perpetrators fled on fast motorbikes, leaving behind international shock and serious questions regarding the security protocols of French museums.
The Paris public prosecutor estimated the value of the stolen jewellery—historical pieces of inestimable heritage value belonging to French queens and empresses—at approximately €88 million. The scale and speed of the operation underscore the sophistication of the criminal network involved.
International Manhunt and Additional Measures
The robbery has ignited widespread anger and concern across French cultural and political spheres.
The museum director revealed a “small gap” in the external CCTV camera coverage, asserting that the surveillance system was “completely antiquated,” a vulnerability that the thieves exploited with remarkable expertise. Currently, over 100 investigators from specialised units combating serious crime and cultural property trafficking are engaged in the manhunt for the robbers.
Crucially, more than 150 DNA samples and fingerprints were recovered at the scene of the heist, boosting investigators’ optimism about soon identifying the culprits.
Beyond the emergency transfer of the jewels to the Banque de France, reports suggest the museum administration is also considering proposals to establish a permanent police station within the Louvre building.
This forms part of a comprehensive security overhaul, prompted by the widespread alarm that the theft has caused regarding the state of security for the nation’s cultural heritage.
This action is made more urgent by the fact that other French museums have suffered similar thefts in recent months, signalling a critical need to fundamentally re-evaluate the security measures in place to protect national treasures.
