Video: Louvre heist caught on camera; man cuts through glass-case

Video: Louvre heist caught on camera; man cuts through glass-case

The Louvre Museum in Paris has been closed for "exceptional reasons" after a group of thieves successfully stole eight pieces of priceless jewelry dating back to the Napoleonic era.

The robbery, which lasted around four minutes, was recorded on video and showed one of the thieves using a mini chainsaw to cut through a glass display case.

A ninth item was dropped on their way out.

Thieves used aerial work platform to enter museum

The burglars arrived at the south side of the building in a vehicle equipped with a basket lift and an extension ladder and climbed to a second-floor balcony window around 9:30am when visitors began entering.

They broke in using an angle grinder and other power tools, according to officials.

They destroyed glass displays and stole the valuable jewelry, but as alarms rang throughout the museum, alerting security, the bandits fled on motorcycles.

Stolen items part of France's national heritage

They stole eight priceless items from France's Crown Jewels, including a diamond and sapphire tiara belonging to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense.

The ninth item, the crown of the Empress Eugenie, was dropped and damaged while fleeing.

The stolen items included a diamond and sapphire tiara, sapphire earrings, and a necklace of Queen Marie-Amelie; an emerald necklace and earrings of Marie-Louise; a "reliquary" tiara and bodice knot, made up of 2,634 diamonds, belonging to Empress Eugenie.

Investigation underway

The Louvre Museum, which houses treasures such as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, has not seen a robbery in over 37 years. The last incident was a painting by Corot stolen in 1988.

French magistrate Laure Beccuau said CCTV footage from the museum is being analyzed as part of the investigation.

Possible DNA traces have also been found at the scene and are under examination by special police units.