Thieves struck the Louvre Museum and took off with priceless crown jewels in a matter of minutes.
On Sunday (Oct. 19), just half an hour after the museum opened, thieves carried out a minutes-long heist inside the famous museum, forcing a window, smashing display cases, and fleeing with priceless Napoleonic jewels, all while the museum was open to visitors, according to the Associated Press.
Officials said the group used a basket lift to scale the museum’s Seine-facing facade, entered through a window, and conducted what Culture Minister Rachida Dati called a professional “four-minute operation.”
The theft occurred just 250 meters (820 feet) from the Mona Lisa and targeted the Apollon Gallery, home to France’s royal collection and Crown Diamonds. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the thieves broke into two display cases and fled on scooters.
Among the stolen items were a matching necklace and earrings, a brooch, and two imperial crowns, including one that belonged to Empress Eugénie. One object, reportedly her emerald-set crown, was later recovered, broken, outside the museum.
The heist prompted a shutdown of the museum for the rest of the day as police sealed the area and began a forensic investigation. Police reportedly closed off nearby streets as tourists were escorted from the premises.
The operation reportedly exposed security vulnerabilities at the Louvre, especially amid ongoing construction and what staff have described as chronic understaffing and crowding.
The Louvre, which hosts up to 30,000 visitors daily and houses many iconic artifacts, has previously faced criticism over its ability to manage massive visitor flows and protect less-prominent treasures.
Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage, examining the basket lift, and interviewing staff. Officials have yet to confirm the total number of thieves or whether inside help was involved.
French media reported that four perpetrators took part, with two of them supposedly disguised as construction workers on the lift and two on scooters.
Authorities called the stolen jewels “inestimable.”
“It’s unlikely these jewels will ever be seen again,” Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds, told the AP. “Professional crews often break down and re-cut large, recognizable stones to evade detection, effectively erasing their provenance.”