The keys to the Louvre heist: Seven minutes, four thieves and an electric ladder to access the Crown Jewels

"The robbery suffered this Sunday at the Louvre Museum is already being described as the theft of the century, a heist straight out of a movie. The value of the stolen pieces is difficult to calculate, because they are part of France's history. The attackers breached the security of the world's most visited museum, carried out the robbery in seven minutes, and fled on high-powered motorcycles."

"How did the attackers gain access to the museum? There were four thieves. Two on high-powered motorcycles, the other two in a four-wheeled vehicle. The museum had just opened. It was between 9:30 and 9:40 on Sunday morning, and there were already people inside. The robbers made their way to the Galerie Apolon facade facing the Seine, and accessed a first-floor balcony using a truck-mounted electric ladder similar to those used for moving furniture through apartment windows."

"The hooded men threatened the officers in the gallery with the grinders, which they then used to break the display cases. They stole nine objects and fled the same way they had arrived: on motorcycles. The entire operation lasted about seven minutes. According to both Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and Culture Minister Rachida Dati, it is clear that these were professional thieves, who had previously reconnoitered the area to determine their entry route."

Four masked thieves executed a rapid, well-planned robbery at the Louvre Museum, accessing a first-floor balcony on the Galerie Apolon facade using a truck-mounted electric ladder. Two assailants arrived on high-powered motorcycles while two others used a four-wheeled vehicle. They threatened gallery officers with grinders, used the tools to break display cases, stole nine objects, and escaped on motorcycles within about seven minutes. Police recovered one item, a crown of Empress Eugenie, dropped during the escape. Authorities classify the perpetrators as professional and opened an investigation into organized crime; the assailants remain at large.

Read at english.elpais.com