Officials say suspects used a truck-mounted basket lift and power tools to carry out the brazen Sunday morning theft at the world’s most-visited museum.

French authorities are investigating after a robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris saw a group of thieves get away with "priceless" jewellery on moped this morning. Large numbers of tourists who wanted to see the Mona Lisa had their plans thwarted, after the Louvre said it would stay closed for "exceptional reasons".

The BBC spoke to Chris Marinello, the CEO of Art Recovery International, who said that if the thieves aren't apprehended in 24 to 48 hours, the stolen jewels will likely not be found.

Thieves broke into the Louvre in Paris — the world's most visited museum — early Sunday morning. Museum officials said they stole jewelry and fled.

A visual representation of how thieves broke into Paris’ Louvre museum and stole priceless objects from an area that houses the French crown jewels before escaping on motorbikes.

Paris authorities are exploring an organized crime theory after masked robbers stole French jewels from the Louvre over the weekend in a 7-minute heist.

The theft, the first significant robbery at the Louvre since 1998, has captured international attention and reignited debate over security measures taken to ensure the protection of France’s cultural heritage.

French Justice Minister Gerard Darmanin said on Monday the jewelry heist at the Louvre museum on Sunday gave a very negative image of France as it implied a failure of security services.