BREAKING: Thieves Steal French Crown Jewels From Louvre in 7 Mins Flat

If you're just joining us, the authorities in France say priceless jewellery has been stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris this morning. This is what we now know:

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  • Thieves broke into the museum at about 09:30 local time (08:30 BST) - shortly before the attraction opened to visitors - and has been shut for the day as a result
  • Paris's prosecutor's office added it had opened an investigation into the "theft of jewellery"
  • The thieves are thought to have gained entry via an upstairs window after using a type of mechanised lift to access the first-floor, writes the BBC's Paris correspondent Andrew Harding
  • Interior Minister Laurent Nunez says three or four thieves were able to open two display cases and left the scene on motorbikes
  • Culture Minister Rachida Dati told French TV that in their haste to flee, one stolen item was found underneath the Louvre
  • The targeted gallery - in the museum's south side - holds what remains of France's crown jewels


We are staying across the situation and will bring you updates as we get them.

Beege Welborn

...The perpetrators used a lift truck to access the museum, entering the Apollo Gallery through a section of the building under renovation. Police have so far been unable to locate them. 

One of the stolen items, the broken crown of Napoleon III’s wife, was later found near the museum. 

Interestingly, the thieves left behind the largest gem in the emperor’s collection — a 140-carat diamond.  

The total value of the stolen items has not yet been disclosed.

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