Napoleonic-era jewels stolen in just four minutes in daring Louvre raid

Police officers look for clues by a cherry picker used in the raid by thieves (AP)

Thieves rode a cherry picker up the Louvre’s facade, forced a window, smashed display cases and fled with priceless Napoleonic jewels in a raid lasting just four minutes at the world’s most-visited museum, French officials said.

The daylight heist about 30 minutes after the Paris museum opened on Sunday, with visitors already inside, was among the highest-profile museum thefts in living memory and came as staff complained that swelling crowds and a lack of staff were straining security.