French authorities are investigating a major jewelry theft at the Louvre Museum in Paris after a group of thieves used a basket lift to enter the building and steal priceless artifacts on Sunday.

The museum, one of the world’s most visited cultural landmarks, was closed for the day following the heist.

ROBBERY: The French Louvre Museum in Paris closed after someone stole the French Crown Jewels and other items from the Galerie d’Apollon collection. The thieves entered around 9:30AM, used a window or lift/goods-elevator access, broke display cases, and escaped on motor scooters pic.twitter.com/0m9ZCQAN5B

— @amuse (@amuse) October 19, 2025

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the incident as a “major robbery” and said the suspects carried out a well-organized operation that lasted only seven minutes.

Speaking on France Inter radio, Nuñez said the individuals “entered from the outside using a basket lift,” stealing jewels of “inestimable value.”

He said the group “manifestly had done scouting” before the theft and that the museum’s glass panes were cut “with a disc cutter.”

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Authorities said the Louvre was shut “for exceptional reasons,” with museum officials providing no further details on the extent of the theft.

No injuries were reported during the incident.

Footage from the scene showed confusion among visitors as police secured the museum grounds, closed its gates, and cordoned off nearby streets leading to the historic complex.

Officers were seen directing tourists away from the area while investigators began documenting the scene.

According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, the thieves entered the museum through the Seine-facing facade, where renovation work is currently underway.

The report said the group used a freight elevator to reach the Apollo Gallery, which houses part of France’s historic Crown Jewels collection.

After breaking through windows, the thieves reportedly took “nine pieces from the jewellery collection of Napoleon and the Empress,” according to Le Parisien. One of the stolen items — believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown — was later found broken outside the museum.

French investigators have not yet confirmed the full inventory of what was taken.

The Louvre, a symbol of French cultural heritage, has faced several high-profile thefts throughout its history.

The most famous occurred in 1911 when the Mona Lisa was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former museum worker who hid inside overnight and walked out with the painting concealed under his coat.

The artwork was recovered two years later in Florence, an event that helped make Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait the most recognized painting in the world.

Another theft took place in 1983 when two Renaissance-era pieces of armor were stolen and remained missing for nearly four decades before being recovered.

The museum’s extensive collection, which includes more than 33,000 works from across history, reflects both its global reputation and controversial past.

Some items have long been the subject of restitution debates related to looting during the Napoleonic era.

The Louvre features artifacts from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as masterpieces from European artists including da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Vermeer.

Its most visited works include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

The Apollo Gallery, the site of Sunday’s theft, showcases a selection of France’s Crown Jewels and is one of the museum’s most ornate halls.

Designed during the reign of Louis XIV, the gallery was later restored under Napoleon III and remains one of the museum’s highlights for visitors.

Authorities have not announced any arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Police are reviewing security footage and questioning staff members and witnesses.

The Louvre, which attracts as many as 30,000 visitors a day, has not announced when it will reopen to the public.