One of Paris’ famous museums was forced to close after a group of chainsaw-wielding thieves made off with jewelry worth millions.
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In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson with Paris’ Louvre confirmed the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. Several individuals forced themselves into the museum through a window of the Galerie d’Apollon (Apollo Gallery). This room houses the French Crown Jewels as well as other jeweled pieces. King Louis XIV’s hardstone vessel collection is also housed in the room.
Per local news outlets, thieves were carrying small chainsaws and angle grinders as tools to enter the gallery. The heist was reportedly only seven minutes long.
“They stole jewelry from display cases inside the museum and fled on motorcycles,” the statement reads. “An investigation has begun, and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled.”
The spokesperson further shared, “Beyond their market values, these items have inestimable heritage and historical value. The ministers of culture and the interior are on site with the museum’s management.”
Following the incident, the Louvre management decided to close the Paris museum as a security measure and to “preserve evidence.”
France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati also took to X to announce the situation. It was also noted that no injuries were reported.
“I am on site alongside the museum teams and the police,” Dait stated. “Investigation underway.”
Dati has since confirmed that a piece of jewelry “was found near the museum.” Media outlet Le Parisien further reported that two pieces of jewelry in total have since been recovered.
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez Speaks Out About the Paris Museum Heist
Meanwhile, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez spoke to the radio station France Inter about the famous Paris museum heist.
“A major robbery took place this morning in the Apollo Room,” Nuñez shared. “Individuals entered the Louvre Museum from outside, using an external freight elevator that was positioned on a truck.”
Nuñez also said ‘three or four perpetrators” stole the jewelry, which he stated has “sentimental value and is priceless.”
“Clearly, a team had been scouting the location,” Nuñez said while discussing how fast the perpetrators fled. “It was obviously a very experienced team that acted very, very quickly.”
He went on to add, “I am confident that we will very quickly find the perpetrators and, above all, recover the stolen goods.”