The iconic Louvre museum has been forced to close after a gang of power tool wielding thieves launched a brazen daylight heist, making off with priceless jewellery.

According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, three or four thieves used a furniture hoist to scale the building and make off with "priceless" items from the Gallerie d’Apollon - Apollo's Gallery.

The gallery is home to the French crown jewels - although authorities have yet to confirm exactly which items were taken.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati told French outlet TF1 the brazen robbery, which occurred just 800m from Paris police headquarters, took place at around 9:30am on Sunday, local time, and lasted only four minutes.

"We saw some footage: they don't target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash displ

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