Louvre remains closed after daring daylight robbery shocks Paris

The theft, carried retired successful conscionable minutes connected Sunday morning, saw thieves usage a handbasket assistance to standard nan building’s facade, break done a window, and smash show cases earlier fleeing pinch respective items. The heist took spot astir half an hr aft nan depository opened, while visitors were already inside.

French authorities said nan robbery occurred only a short region from Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, describing it arsenic a highly master “four-minute operation.” One of nan stolen objects — nan emerald-set imperial crown of Empress Eugénie, adorned pinch much than 1,300 diamonds — was later recovered extracurricular nan museum, damaged. The incident has renewed concerns complete information astatine nan world’s most-visited museum, wherever unit person many times raised alarms astir overcrowding and insufficient personnel.

On Monday morning, hopeful visitors lined up extracurricular nan Louvre’s iconic solid pyramid contempt constabulary cordons and closed entrances. Museum officials said nan tract would stay unopen but did not specify erstwhile it would reopen. Officers were seen blocking adjacent streets on nan River Seine arsenic forensic teams continued their investigation into 1 of nan astir audacious creation thefts successful caller French history.