Gone in seven minutes: brazen Louvre gang grab priceless jewels

French police are hunting four thieves who carried out a highly professional daylight raid on the Louvre, breaking into one of the museum’s most ornate rooms and escaping with eight pieces of “priceless” historic jewellery - including a necklace given by Napoleon to his wife.

- Angelique Chrisafis

The world’s most-visited museum was suddenly closed for the day yesterday after the break-in targeted pieces in two glass cases in its Apollon gallery, where the French crown jewels are held.

A crown worn in the 19th century by Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, was found broken near the museum after the thieves fled. It features golden eagles and is covered in 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds.

The French culture ministry said eight items of jewellery were stolen, including an emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon gave to his second wife, Empress Marie Louise. Other jewels stolen included a sapphire necklace and sapphire earrings which had been worn by Napoleon's stepdaughter, Hortense, who became the queen of Holland, and which was also worn by the 19th century queen of the French, Marie-Amélie.

The French interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, visited the scene and told France Inter radio that "priceless" jewels "of unmeasurable heritage value" were stolen in what was clearly a well-organised raid by professional criminals.

The thieves struck at 9.30am local time yesterday and Nuñez said it took them seven minutes to make off with the jewels.

The thieves approached the building from the outside, at an area where building work was taking place.