$102 million Louvre heist leaves crown jewels missing after daring break-in

A daring daytime break-in at the Louvre Museum is being called the “heist of the century,” and new surveillance footage is now revealing exactly how it happened.

(NBC)- A daring daytime break-in at the Louvre Museum is being called the “heist of the century,” and new surveillance footage is now revealing exactly how it happened.

Video aired by French broadcaster TF1 shows two thieves disguised as maintenance workers entering the Apollo Gallery, where the museum’s crown jewels are displayed. The suspects used circular saws — and then their fists — to smash through protective display cases.

Investigators say the thieves allegedly stole $102 million worth of tiaras, necklaces, and earrings from the collection. After just four minutes inside the gallery, the suspects escaped by climbing down a ladder truck outside the museum.

Three months after the brazen October robbery, French authorities say four men are now in custody, including the two individuals seen on the surveillance footage. One suspect’s girlfriend has also been charged as an accomplice.

Despite the arrests, the stolen jewels remain missing. Prosecutors say the suspects are not cooperating with investigators.

A French lawmaker previously expressed concern over the fate of the treasures, saying, “I fear that these jewels have already been cut to pieces.”

For now, the search continues. Police say they are not giving up hope of one day recovering the stolen jewels and returning them to the world’s most famous museum.