PARIS (Reuters) -A jewellery heist at Paris' Louvre museum has cast France in a "deplorable" light, Justice Minister Gerard Darmanin said on Monday as opposition politicians criticised the government for what they branded a national humiliation.

The world-famous Paris art museum was preparing to open on Sunday when a gang broke in to plunder priceless jewellery that once belonged to the family of Napoleon Bonaparte

In a 'brazen' robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris, thieves broke into the Apollo Gallery and stole a number of items of jewellery. Thieves broke into the museum at about 09:30 local time (08:30 BST) - shortly before the attraction opened to visitors. The thieves were said to have been carrying small chainsaws and escaped on a scooter.

It took seven minutes for thieves to execute a brazen daylight heist at the famed Louvre museum. Here's how they did it

Video shows one of the suspected Louvre jewel thieves brazenly cutting through a glass case using a mini chainsaw before making off with the loot during Sunday’s heist at the Paris

In the most brazen act of robbery, eight pieces of priceless jewels were stolen from the Louvre on Sunday. The merely minutes-long heist has shocked the entire world.

Police say two suspects got away after they attempted to rob an armored truck at a Northeast Wawa on Friday morning.

The group of theives, described as 'highly organised', broke into the Louvre on Sunday morning using power tools before fleeing on scooters with eight pricess pieces of jewellery - sparking an evacuat

Authorities are looking for Joseph Hess, of Herkimer County, who is accused of stealing a 76-year-old woman's purse at a McDonald's, then driving into her as he fled.

A daring daylight robbery at the Louvre Museum shocks the world as thieves make off with priceless royal jewellery. Learn more about the audacious heist and its impact on France's cultural institutions.