Napoleon's jewelry stolen from Louvre Museum during incredible heist, 3 suspects still at large
The Louvre Museum in Paris will remain closed on Monday as an investigation is launched into a robbery that saw nine pieces of jewelry stolen from the museum's collection
A probe has been launched following a heist at the world-renowned Louvre Museum in Paris, France. A man has been arrested on suspicion of the crime, leading to the museum's closure today due to "exceptional reasons".
Three culprits are allegedly still on the run after taking nine items from the Louvre Museum's jewelry exhibit. The stolen jewels are believed to have once belonged to Napoleon.
Rachida Dati, France's Culture Minister, confirmed that there were no casualties during the incident, which occurred as the museum opened its doors this morning.
READ MORE: Donald Trump mounting health fears could see him removed from officeREAD MORE: Woman gives birth to record-breaking baby bigger than a three-month old"No injuries to report," Dati posted on social media.
"I am on site alongside the museum teams and the police. Investigations under way.", reports the Express US.
The Louvre is one of the globe's most prestigious art museums. It houses masterpieces by Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Its most celebrated piece is the iconic Mona Lisa painting, crafted by Da Vinci in 1503.
As per police sources who spoke to Le Parisien, the heist was executed by a gang that managed to infiltrate the building from the Seine River side, where construction work is currently taking place.
"They used a freight elevator that leads directly to the targeted room. After breaking windows, two men entered, stealing nine pieces from Napoleon and the Empress's jewelry collection - a necklace, a brooch, and more," revealed the insider.
The purloined jewelry collection was assembled after Napoleon and Joséphine were crowned Emperor and Empress in 1804, and is estimated to be worth millions.
Many of the pieces in Napoleon's collection were pilfered from royalty during the French Revolution, and others were swiped from various parts of the Empire.
Paris is often the scene of high-stakes art heists, and this isn't the first time the Louvre has been targeted.
The most notorious and unforgettable was in 1911, when the unparalleled Mona Lisa was stolen, sending shockwaves around the globe.
The thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, a museum employee, hid in a closet overnight to snatch the painting. Fortunately, it was eventually recovered two years later when he tried to sell it to an antiques dealer in Florence, Italy.