According to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, the perpetrators of the audacious Louvre Museum theft in Paris seem to have employed a truck-mounted moving lift, typically utilized by professional movers to raise furniture to upper-story windows, to gain access to the building’s second floor.

Beccuau revealed in an interview with RTL radio that the burglars posed as customers seeking to rent the freight lift for a relocation. When the equipment’s owner or a representative arrived to confirm the job, the suspects reportedly coerced them into surrendering the lift and departing the area.

Officials stated that the thieves were inside the Louvre for under four minutes on Sunday morning. They purportedly maneuvered the vehicle to the facade facing the Seine, where a window was forced open and two display cases were shattered.

A total of eight items were stolen, among them a sapphire diadem, a necklace, and a single earring from a collection associated with 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense. This heist has sparked a national debate, with certain officials equating the public’s shock to that of the 2019 Notre-Dame cathedral fire.

Additionally, an emerald necklace and earrings belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second spouse, along with a reliquary brooch, were taken. Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her significant corsage-bow brooch, an imperial set of exceptional artistry, were also among the pilfered goods.

However, one item, Empress Eugénie’s emerald-encrusted imperial crown, adorned with over 1,300 diamonds, was later discovered outside the museum, damaged yet salvageable.

Beccuau reported that the value of the stolen artifacts is estimated at approximately $102.1 million, and the investigative team assigned to the heist has expanded to 100 personnel.

The Times, referencing France’s culture ministry, noted that the items lacked insurance, a common practice for state collections due to the excessive premiums. The ministry reportedly stated that the government “functions as its own insurer” for works in their regular conservation locations, “considering the expense of securing insurance” and the “low incidence of accidents.”

Reuters reported that Beccuau informed local media that investigators suspect the robbers might have been acting on behalf of a collector or were solely driven by the intrinsic value of the jewels and precious metals.

“We are investigating the possibility of,” Beccuau informed BFMTV, suggesting the thieves might be professionals working on spec for a buyer.

The outlet further reported Beccuau’s statement that if a collector indeed commissioned the theft, there is optimism the stolen artifacts will stay undamaged and well-maintained until retrieved. Conversely, if the thieves operated independently, they might have sought the jewels for their potential role in money laundering.

As reported by Reuters, Beccuau commented, “Currently, anything can be linked to, given the considerable funds derived from drug trafficking.”

Investigators are pursuing all potential avenues, though foreign involvement has reportedly been largely dismissed in this inquiry.

The swift Sunday morning robbery occurred a mere 270 yards from the Mona Lisa.

Prosecutors disclosed on Monday that a vest, a bottle containing liquid, and various equipment found at the scene are currently undergoing examination.

The Louvre resumed operations on Wednesday morning, welcoming visitors beneath its iconic glass pyramid.

Digital’s Bonny Chu, Ronn Blitzer and