Thieves break into Paris’ Louvre museum, steal Napoleonic jewellery | Pics

The Louvre Museum in Paris, the most-visited museum in the world, was forced to close on Sunday after a daring robbery in broad daylight. Thieves made off with what the French government described as “priceless" jewellery from the museum’s Apollo Room — the home of the French Crown Jewels.

According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, the robbery was carried out by a small group of highly organised criminals. “Clearly, a team had been scouting the location. It was obviously a very experienced team that acted very, very quickly," he told France Inter radio.

The suspects reportedly entered the Louvre at around 9:30 a.m. local time, using a truck-mounted freight lift to access a window. Using an angle grinder, they forced their way into the Apollo Room and completed the theft in just seven minutes. They then escaped on motorbikes.