PARIS, October 19. /TASS/. The intruders who stole Napoleon's jewelry from the Louvre on Sunday morning did it in four minutes, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said on the TF1 TV channel.
"We arrived at the scene just a few minutes after receiving information about the theft. The whole operation lasted almost four minutes - it was very fast. We must admit that this is the work of professionals," she said.
"The issue of museum safety in France is a long-standing problem. For 40 years, this issue has not been given due attention."
Dati added that visitors were evacuated from the Louvre as soon as it became known about the robbery. There was no panic.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said it took no more than seven minutes for the criminals to steal the priceless items. According to him, the attackers entered the building from the Seine embankment, where construction was underway. The criminals used a ladder truck to enter the museum.