Masked thieves disguised as construction workers executed a brazen robbery at Paris' Louvre museum on Sunday, using a crane or basket lift to access a second-floor window and making off with eight priceless objects from the French crown jewels collection. The robbery occurred around 9:30 a.m. as the museum opened, with the thieves threatening guards with angle grinders during the six to seven minute operation that unfolded in front of visitors and workers.

Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that four unarmed individuals participated in the theft, targeting nine objects but successfully stealing eight. The ninth item, the crown of Napoleon III's wife Empress Eugenie, was recovered at the scene after being dropped during the escape. Alexandre Giquello, President of Drouot auction house, told Reuters the crown alone is worth "several tens of millions of euros" and noted it wasn't the most important item among the stolen treasures.

Authorities are investigating whether the high-profile heist was commissioned by a collector, with Beccuau stating they're "looking at the hypothesis of organized crime" and considering the possibility of professionals working on speculation for a buyer. The prosecutor noted that if a collector was behind the raid, there's a good chance the stolen pieces would remain in good condition when recovered. The jewels could also be used to launder profits from other criminal enterprises, including drug trafficking.

The robbery has raised serious questions about security at the world's most-visited museum, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the investigation has been entrusted to a specialized police unit with a high success rate in cracking high-profile robberies. President Emmanuel Macron called the theft "an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our History" and vowed to recover the works and bring the perpetrators to justice.