Eight pieces of "priceless" jewels were stolen from the Louvre in Paris. Here is what they were.

Officials are investigating after a group of thieves stole eight pieces of jewelry from Paris' iconic Louvre Museum on Oct. 19.

At around 9:30 a.m. local time, the thieves climbed a crane to reach the Galerie d'Apollon, a first-floor wing of the museum that houses the French Crown Jewels. After shattering a window, they broke two display cases, took nine pieces from the collection and escaped on motorbikes, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on France Inter radio.

One piece — a diamond and emerald-covered gold crown owned by Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III — was found on the ground outside the museum. Authorities believe the burglars dropped the piece as they escaped, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said.

As of Monday, Oct. 20, officials said a manhunt was under way for the four people who staged the audacious daylight robbery, Reuters reported.

The Louvre was closed for the rest of the day on Oct. 19 and for the full day on Oct. 20.

Here's what we know about the stolen items.

Which pieces of jewelry were stolen from the Louvre?

The following items were stolen from the French Crown Jewels collection in the Louvre, per the Ministry of Culture:

  • Tiara from the parure of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense
  • Necklace from the sapphire parure of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense
  • Earring, from a pair from the sapphire parure of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense
  • Emerald necklace from the parure of Marie-Louise
  • Pair of emerald earrings from the parure of Marie-Louise
  • Brooch known as a reliquary brooch
  • Tiara of Empress Eugénie
  • Large bodice bow of Empress Eugénie (brooch)

See the items in the video at the top of this story.

Stolen jewels were from gallery built by King Louis XIV

The Galerie d’Apollon, where the stolen pieces are from, is the first royal gallery in France.

It was built by King Louis XIV, the French monarch who ruled from 1643 to 1715 and identified himself with the sun god Apollo, which inspired the gallery, according to the Louvre.

The gallery is home to the royal collection of hardstone vessels, which include a variety of treasures carved from minerals like agate, amethyst and jade. They were owned by the kings of France; Louis XIV alone had more than 800 pieces, according to the Louvre.

The collection also contains the French Crown Jewels, including diamonds, tiaras and crowns worn by French royals.

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

Contributing: Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY; Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What was stolen from the Louvre? See the 8 pieces of jewelry thieves took, per officials

Reporting by Melina Khan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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