TRANSCRIPT:
It took four minutes for four people with power tools including chainsaws to undertake one of the most bold smash and grab robberies in modern history.
The theft of famous crown jewels is a scene reminiscent of a crime thriller - and it has made news around the globe.
(Italian) “Big heist at the Louvre in Paris. The thieves..."
(English) "Gained entrance at about nine thirty this morning.."
(German) “The Louvre in Paris, the most visited museum in the world."
In a crowded room on a weekend at the Louvre in Paris, the museum that's also home to the Mona Lisa, burglars reportedly broke in through a window.
The high-visibility of this crime is evident in phone videos captured by Louvre visitors.
A man wearing a fluorescent yellow vest is seen cutting into the glass case covering the 19th century collection of Napolean and Empress Eugenie.
French Cultural Minister Rachida Dati says it was a very fast operation.
"We came immediately, a couple of minutes after we received information of this robbery. To be completely honest, this operation lasted almost four minutes - it was very quick. We have to say that these are professionals. Organised crime today targets objects of art, and museums of course have become targets, because France, as you know, is a country of heritage, a country with historical objects of heritage with great value."
Eight pieces were stolen, including the emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon gave his wife Empress Marie Louise, and the 19th century crown of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napolean the third.
Police found the crown damaged nearby, but the thieves had escaped on motorbikes.
To witnesses, this was like a scene from a Hollywood movie - and would-be visitors were astounded, too.
"I said I can't believe this happened right, we were supposed to go tomorrow and is it going to be open? And she said - you read the article, right?"
"Yeah, we want to get a newspaper clipping as a souvenir."
Sixty investigators are now searching for four suspects.
French President Emmanuel Macron posted to social media, saying everything is being done to find the people behind the theft.
"The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our History. We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this, under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor's office."
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau says investigators already have leads.
"Either it was commissioned by a collector, in which case, if we identify this collector and this commissioner, we will find the jewellery in good condition. Or, as we can see on different occasions, it was commissioned by people who only noticed these jewels because of the stones and pearls and objects, the rare metals they were made of."
Others, including Louvre employee and cultural union national secretary, Elise Muller, are less interested in 'who' than 'how'.
"So the Louvre staff, including myself, are both extremely sad and extremely angry about what happened today. Extremely sad because, obviously, it's our job to protect this building, this institution, the collections it houses, and the public who visit it. And in fact, today, it wasn't protected as we would have liked."
It is one of a series of raids targeting French museums in recent months.
It comes a short time after the venue was among those that closed in the European summer, with staff concerned over huge visitor numbers and their ability to do their jobs under increasingly crowded conditions.
Visitor Jennifer Keane told Channel 9 the issues were widely known.
"I know that the Louvre had requested additional funding and additional works to improve their security and their facilities. So, I suppose you know it does show that things can happen, even in places like this."
