Louvre closed for second day as France hunts jewel thieves

The Louvre was closed for a second day on Oct 20 as police hunted for thieves who broke into the museum and stole priceless jewels in a spectacular daylight heist.

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Officials said a team of 60 investigators were working on the theory that an organised crime group was behind the theft on Oct 19 of nine pieces of jewellery, including a crown with more than 1,000 diamonds, which the thieves dropped as they fled.

The thieves arrived between 9.30am and 9.40am (3.30pm and 3.40pm Singapore time) on Oct 19, shortly after the museum opened at 9am, and completed the robbery in just seven minutes, sources and officials said.

They parked a truck with an extendable ladder like those used by movers below the museum's Apollo Gallery, home to an imperial jewel collection.

They then climbed up and used cutting equipment to get in through a window and open the display cases.

The world-famous museum, which includes the Mona Lisa among its extensive collections, said it would be closed for a second day on Oct 20.

At the museum, US tourist Jesslyn Ehlers, 38, and her husband were busy rebooking their tickets.

“We're just kind of disappointed. We've been planning this for a very long time,” she said.

Shortly before the announcement, queues of impatient visitors snaked their way across the museum’s pyramid courtyard and under the tall arches of the main entrance gallery.