In a swift and audacious heist, a group of thieves disguised as construction workers infiltrated the Louvre, smashing display cases to steal priceless Napoleon-era jewels, as reported by officials.

This brazen theft occurred merely 30 minutes after the renowned Paris museum, which boasts a collection of over 350,000 artifacts, opened its doors on Sunday.

The criminals utilized a basket lift to scale the museum’s façade along the Seine, employing a disc cutter to slice through windowpanes. Once inside the Apollon Gallery, they broke into two display cases housing royal treasures before making their escape on motorbikes, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.

Photos: Which jewels were stolen from the Louvre?

Among the stolen artifacts were at least eight pieces from France’s crown jewels, featuring a sapphire diadem, a necklace, and a single earring. These items are historically linked to 19th-century French queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.

The thieves also seized an emerald necklace and earrings once belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, along with a diadem and bow-breech from Empress Eugénie’s collection.

Her crown was recovered, broken, outside of the museum on Sunday, officials told local reporters.

“An investigation has begun, and a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled,” a museum spokesperson told CBS News. “Beyond their market value, these items have inestimable heritage and historical value.”

Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds, told The Associated Press that it is “unlikely these jewels will ever be seen again.”

“Professional crews often break down and re-cut large, recognizable stones to evade detection, effectively erasing their provenance,” Kormind said.

The Apollon Gallery, deemed a “gallery fit for a Sun King” by the Louvre, also contains Louis XIV’s hardstone vessel collection, table decorations and portrait tapestries of 28 monarchs and artists.