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Investigators say the thieves entered and exited the museum in under four minutes on Sunday morning, escaping with eight pieces from France’s Crown Jewels. Four thieves, masked and hooded, arrived on motor scooters and two entered the museum via the Seine-facing facade at around 9:30 a.m. local time, shortly after the museum’s opening. Construction work aided their heist, as a cherry picker allowed them to access the Apollo Gallery jewel room directly on the first floor, which is less than 300 yards from the famed Mona Lisa. The stolen items include emerald- and sapphire-encrusted diadems, necklaces, and brooches once worn by the wives of Napoleon Bonaparte and other 19th-century royals. One piece—the Empress’s crown, fitted with over 1,000 jewels—was found outside the Museum. Other jewels included a tiara and necklace worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, dating to the early 19th century. Officials estimate the collection's value at roughly $100 million.
