Louvre Robbery: How Thieves Carried Out An Audacious Heist of ‘Priceless’ Napoleonic Jewels

 The recent audacious daylight robbery of "priceless" Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre Museum was a highly professional operation that took a team of thieves only four to seven minutes to execute.

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how the heist was carried out:

 * Exploiting Construction: The thieves took advantage of ongoing renovations at the museum. They reportedly used a construction site on the Seine-facing façade of the building to gain access.

 * Gaining Entry: The robbers used a basket lift (or hydraulic ladder/crane) to reach a window on the first or second floor of the museum, specifically targeting the Galerie d'Apollon (Apollo Gallery), which houses the French crown jewels.

 * Breaching Security: The thieves, some reportedly disguised in construction workers' vests, forced a window and used disc cutters and power tools to cut through the glass panes and enter the gallery.The recent audacious daylight robbery of "priceless" Napoleonic jewels from the Louvre Museum was a highly professional operation that took a team of thieves only four to seven minutes to execute.

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how the heist was carried out:

 * Exploiting Construction: The thieves took advantage of ongoing renovations at the museum. They reportedly used a construction site on the Seine-facing façade of the building to gain access.

 * Gaining Entry: The robbers used a basket lift (or hydraulic ladder/crane) to reach a window on the first or second floor of the museum, specifically targeting the Galerie d'Apollon (Apollo Gallery), which houses the French crown jewels.

 * Breaching Security: The thieves, some reportedly disguised in construction workers' vests, forced a window and used disc cutters and power tools to cut through the glass panes and enter the gallery.

 * The Theft: They immediately went for the display cases containing the jewels, smashing them to steal a total of eight pieces of historic jewelry. The stolen items included:

   * A sapphire diadem, necklace, and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century French queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.

   * An emerald necklace and earrings from the set of Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife.

   * A reliquary brooch.

 * Attempted Theft and Abandonment: The thieves also attempted to steal the heavily adorned crown of Empress Eugénie (wife of Napoleon III). However, they abandoned it after guards confronted them. This crown was later found outside the museum, recovered but damaged.

 * The Getaway: The team of approximately four perpetrators fled swiftly on scooters (specifically described as Yamaha 'TMax' scooters in some reports), weaving through the Parisian streets to make their escape. Some reports suggest two of the thieves were on the lift and two were on scooters waiting outside.

 * Cover-up Attempt: Before fleeing, the thieves allegedly attempted to set the crane lift they used on fire to destroy evidence, but a museum worker stopped the attempt.

The heist, which took place around 9:30 AM local time shortly after the museum opened, was described by officials as "very professional" and carried out by an "experienced team" who had clearly scouted the location beforehand.

 * The Theft: They immediately went for the display cases containing the jewels, smashing them to steal a total of eight pieces of historic jewelry. The stolen items included:

   * A sapphire diadem, necklace, and single earring from a set linked to 19th-century French queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.

   * An emerald necklace and earrings from the set of Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife.

   * A reliquary brooch.

 * Attempted Theft and Abandonment: The thieves also attempted to steal the heavily adorned crown of Empress Eugénie (wife of Napoleon III). However, they abandoned it after guards confronted them. This crown was later found outside the museum, recovered but damaged.

 * The Getaway: The team of approximately four perpetrators fled swiftly on scooters (specifically described as Yamaha 'TMax' scooters in some reports), weaving through the Parisian streets to make their escape. Some reports suggest two of the thieves were on the lift and two were on scooters waiting outside.

 * Cover-up Attempt: Before fleeing, the thieves allegedly attempted to set the crane lift they used on fire to destroy evidence, but a museum worker stopped the attempt.

The heist, which took place around 9:30 AM local time shortly after the museum opened, was described by officials as "very professional" and carried out by an "experienced team" who had clearly scouted the location

 beforehand.