It took robbers 7 minutes for the Louvre Paris jewellery heist

Paris: Robbers wielding power tools broke into the Louvre on Sunday and made off with priceless jewels from the world-renowned museum, taking just seven minutes for the broad-daylight heist, sources and officials said.

The robbers used a furniture hoist and power tools to get into the gallery, which houses France's crown jewels, sources and officials said.

Police were hunting the culprits on Sunday afternoon, but a 19th-century crown covered in diamonds and emeralds was found damaged near the building.

The crown once belonging to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, features golden eagles and is covered in 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, according to the museum's website.

The theft involved several "priceless" items from the Gallerie d’Apollon, which houses France’s crown jewels.

The thieves arrived around 9:30–9:40 am (0730–0740 GMT) on a scooter, armed with angle grinders. Three of the four suspects used the hoist to reach the targeted room.

Louvre shut, security stepped up

The Louvre, the world’s most visited museum, closed its doors for the day. Police and forensics teams were on site, while soldiers with automatic rifles patrolled the esplanade, and nearby roads were cordoned off. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation, with the value of the stolen items yet to be confirmed.

Priceless treasures targeted

The Gallerie d’Apollon, commissioned by Louis XIV, houses historic diamonds including the Regent, Sancy, and Hortensia, as well as an emerald and diamond necklace given by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise.

Part of rising museum thefts

This robbery is part of a recent surge of museum thefts in Paris. Last month, thieves stole gold samples worth €600,000 from the Natural History Museum. In November last year, four thieves targeted the Cognacq-Jay museum, making off with precious artifacts in broad daylight.

President Emmanuel Macron has previously pledged to redesign, restore, and enlarge the Louvre, aiming to increase annual visitors to 12 million.