Thieves used a basket lift to break into the Louvre on Sunday morning, forced a window, smashed display cases and escaped with jewels of “inestimable value,” France’s interior minister said, as the world’s most visited museum closed for the day during the investigation.

“A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X.

The museum cited “exceptional reasons” for the closure. No injuries were reported.

The Interior Ministry said that around 9:30 a.m. several intruders forced open a window, stole jewels from vitrines and fled on two-wheelers.

The ministry said forensic work is underway and a precise inventory of the stolen objects is being compiled, adding that the items have “inestimable” historical and patrimonial value.

Dati and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez were on site with museum leadership.

Police sealed off the museum and evacuated visitors.

New arrivals were turned away and nearby streets were closed, according to the Interior Ministry.

AP video shot by Alex Turnbull