An unprecedented theft took place at the Louvre Museum in Paris, at the moment when the first visitors began to arrive.

The moment of theft was recorded.

Four thieves, two in a truck equipped with a cargo lift and two on a scooter drove up to the front of the museum at 9.30am, after which they used the lift to access the Apollo gallery on the first floor, opening the gallery window with a grinder.

In a video that appeared on the X social network, one can see the moment when masked thieves enter the museum.

It is known what they stole.

After that, they used the same grinders to break two showcases, one for"Napoleon's jewels" and the other for "jewels of French rulers", from which they stole several pieces of jewelry, according to a BFM source from the police.

The four criminals left the gallery using the freight elevator, and fled the scene of the crime on two scooters.

The police found two grinders, a flame thrower, gasoline, gloves, a walkie-talkie, a blanket and a piece of damaged jewelry in the gallery.

The jewelry that the criminals left with them is said to be the crown of Empress Eugenia, decorated with 1,354 diamonds, 1,136 rubies and 56 emeralds.

It is suspected that a total of less than 10 valuables were stolen from the Louvre.

Closed museum

The Louvre, a global symbol of French culture and one of the best preserved places in the French capital, will be closed to visitors today.

An investigation is underway to determine the precise circumstances of the robbery and the possible disappearance of valuable works of art or other items from the Louvre's collection.