French authorities are investigating after a robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris this morning in which a group of thieves on scooters made off with "priceless" jewelry, the BBC reports.
Many tourists who wanted to see the Mona Lisa were left disappointed after the Louvre announced it would remain closed for "exceptional reasons."
The thieves targeted the Apollo Gallery, which houses what remains of the French crown jewels.
They appear to have used a mechanical ladder to reach the upper floor, where they broke a window and entered the building, according to the BBC.
The Paris prosecutor's office said the damage was being assessed, while Culture Minister Rachida Dati said one of the stolen items was found near the museum after the thieves fled. According to French media, it is a damaged crown that belonged to Napoleon III's wife, Eugenie.
Interior Minister Loren Nuñez described the stolen jewelry as "priceless" and "of immeasurable cultural value."
Beko: Thieves took eight items, Regent was not stolen
Paris prosecutor Laura Beko said the thieves took eight priceless items, while a ninth, which they also tried to steal, was found at the scene, Reuters reports.
Beko told BFM television that the thieves were not targeted, nor did they steal the world-famous Regent diamond, which is also located in the same gallery that the burglars broke into.
Sotheby's auction house estimates the value of the diamond at more than $60 million.
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AFP: Diamond and emerald crown stolen from Louvre found damaged near museum
The crown of Empress Eugenie, which was among the priceless jewels stolen this morning from the Louvre Museum in Paris, has been found damaged near the Paris museum, AFP learned from a source close to the case, Beta news agency reports.
The crown of Napoleon III's wife is made up of 1.354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, according to the Louvre website.
Several very valuable items were stolen this morning from the Apollo Gallery of the world's largest museum.
The thieves "acted professionally, without using violence and without panic"
Three or four thieves took part in a robbery this morning in which jewels were stolen from the Louvre in Paris, one of the largest museums in the world, the French Interior Ministry said.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati told TF1 television that one of the stolen pieces of jewelry had been recovered.
Several people entered the Apollo Gallery around 9:30 a.m. through a window that they broke.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the thieves used a freight elevator on a truck parked in front of the building, the BBC reports.
Once inside, they stole jewels from display cases and then fled on motorcycles. Nunez said the robbery lasted seven minutes.
Minister Dati said the item was found near the scene of the robbery, apparently after it fell. She said its value was being assessed, but there was no official confirmation of what exactly the item was, the BBC reported earlier.
Describing the thieves, she said they "acted professionally, without using violence and without panic."
A precise list of stolen items is being determined.
The ministry said that the items, in addition to their commercial value, have invaluable historical and cultural value.
The aforementioned luxurious room houses the remains of the French royal jewels.
The Paris public prosecutor's office confirmed that it had launched an investigation on suspicion of "organized theft and criminal association to commit a crime."
The prosecutor's office confirms that a "jewelry theft" occurred at the Louvre and that the investigation is being led by a special service that combats the illegal trade in cultural property, the BBC reports.
They said the damage is being assessed and an investigation is underway.
The public was initially informed of the theft by Culture Minister Rashida Dati.
"There are no injuries," she wrote on social media, saying she was on the scene with museum teams and police.
The Louvre Museum announced on its official account on the IX that it would "remain closed today for exceptional reasons."
Nunez: "It is well known" that French museums are generally "vulnerable"
The BBC reported that thefts from the museum are rare due to the strict security at the institution.
However, the outlet reports that Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said earlier today in an interview that it is "well known" that French museums are generally "vulnerable".
Two recent thefts have been in the public spotlight. In September, thieves stole 600.000 euros worth of gold from the Natural History Museum in Paris.
In the same month, the Porcelain Museum in Limoges was broken into, from where items worth 6,5 million euros were stolen.
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