Thieves staged a four-minute, early-Sunday heist at Paris’s Louvre, smashing an exterior window to reach the Galerie d’Apollon and fleeing on motor-scooters with jewels of “inestimable value,” officials said. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said 3 or 4 “experienced” culprits used a ladder on a truck and a disc cutter as the museum was opening, prompting an evacuation and a daylong closure to preserve evidence. Culture Minister Rachida Dati said one jewel was found nearby and is being evaluated. Prosecutors opened an organized-theft investigation as crowds were ushered out.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.