Louvre Moves Jewels to Banque De France after Heist

The Louvre Museum has transferred some of its most valuable jewels to Banque De France following a bold daylight robbery that rattled the world’s most visited museum and raised questions about France’s cultural security.

According to French broadcaster RTL, the transfer involved a selection of priceless pieces from the Apollo Gallery, home to France’s historic Crown Jewels. The operation was carried out last Friday under discreet police escort, sources said.

The Bank of France was chosen for its fortified underground vaults, buried 27 meters below ground, which typically safeguard the nation’s gold reserves. Located only about 500 meters from the Louvre, the bank’s proximity enabled a swift and secretive transfer.

The decision follows an audacious theft on October 19, when thieves reportedly used a crane to smash through an upper window during visiting hours, making off with eight rare pieces valued at $102 million. The culprits fled on motorcycles in what French media have dubbed the “Heist of the Century.”

The incident has ignited outrage across France, with critics calling it a “national humiliation” and pointing to alarming gaps in the museum’s security systems.

While both the Louvre and the Bank of France have declined to comment publicly, police investigations continue amid mounting public pressure to review museum security nationwide.