France will not be reimbursed for the theft of the priceless items stolen from the Louvre in an audacious heist.

PARIS -- PARIS (AP) — The glittering sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds that once adorned France's royals could well be gone forever, experts say after a brazen, four-minute heist in broad daylight left the nation stunned and the government struggling to explain a new debacle at the Louvre.

Authorities were racing Monday to reassure the public about security at key cultural sites — and find the jewels stolen from the museum before they can be broken up and melted down.

The brazen robbery on Sunday has put a spotlight on security protocols in the sprawling museum, which have been tested over the years by break-ins and thefts.

Masked thieves stole priceless jewels from the Louvre on Sunday morning. The Paris museum has suffered a string of successful art heists, dating back to the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911.

Thieves used a truck-mounted furniture elevator and angle grinders to access a second-floor gallery while visitors and museum employees watched them steal some of France’s crown jewels.

Taiwan’s National Palace Museum is stepping up security after a major robbery at the Louvre in Paris saw some of France's priceless crown jewels stolen. The museum in Taipei is running more emergency drills and enlisting the help of its K-9 unit to prevent a similar heist attempt.

A minute-by-minute look at the daring Louvre robbery, using maps, photos and video to unravel how one of the world’s most famous museums was breached.