According to the French Culture Minister, criminals broke into the Louvre in the French capital Paris on Sunday and looted “priceless” jewellery.
Rachida Dati said the incident occurred when the museum, one of the most famous museums in the world, opened its doors on Sunday morning.
“This morning a robbery took place at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” he wrote on Twitter. The museum confirmed it would be closed for the day “due to exceptional reasons”.
Speaking to French media, Dati said the stolen jewelery was “priceless”.
Thieves entered through the window
Interior Minister Laurent Núñez described the incident as a “major robbery”.
He said the thieves armed with small chainsaws used a basket lift to access the targeted room. They fled on the motorcycle with the stolen jewellery.
The French Interior Ministry said, “The investigation has begun and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled. Beyond market value, these items have invaluable heritage and historical value.”
The Louvre’s most infamous theft occurred in 1911, when the Mona Lisa was stolen by a former employee. The robbery, recovered in Florence two years later, helped turn Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing into the world’s most famous artwork.
last year, louvre Welcomed 8.7 million visitors.
Edited by: Sam Dusan Inayatullah