A new development in the Louvre theft: Eugenie's tiara

 

Empress Eugenie's crown

 A new development in the Louvre theft: Eugenie's tiara 

Empress Eugenie's crown, among the jewels stolen Sunday in a robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, was found near the museum, a source close to the case told AFP.

The crown, which belonged to Napoleon III's wife and is one of the imperial crowns, is made up of 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, according to a description published online by the Louvre.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez revealed on Sunday that the jewelry stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris is "priceless."

Speaking to France Inter, Nunez described what happened at the Louvre as a "major theft," adding that the thieves entered the museum from outside using a crane mounted on the back of a truck to enter the Apollo Hall, where they focused their efforts on two display cases.

He noted that they stole " priceless jewelry ," explaining that the robbery lasted only seven minutes.

The French Interior Minister also confirmed that there were no casualties at the Louvre Museum . He said, "It was necessary to evacuate people... in order to preserve evidence so that investigators can work calmly."

Nunez acknowledged the existence of "significant weaknesses in French museums ," saying, "We cannot prevent everything... but we are doing our best to find the perpetrators as quickly as possible, and I am optimistic."

"It is not unlikely that the perpetrators are foreigners," he added.