Thieves have pulled off a daring heist at the Louvre, stealing priceless Napoleonic jewels. On Sunday, they used a basket lift to access the museum, smashed display cases, and fled with the treasures.

Laurence des Cars, the Louvre's president and director, is set to testify about the heist before the French Senate's Culture, Education and Sport Committee on Oct. 22.

As thieves made off with some of France's beloved crown jewels, you might have found yourself wondering just how much the items are actually worth.

Cultural institutions are seen as “soft targets,” experts say, as thieves shift from stealing prized paintings, to artifacts that can be dismantled, stripped or melted down for their expensive parts.

French authorities have a narrow window to track down several thieves who pulled off a heist at the Louvre Museum before the robbers potentially break down the crown jewels and sell them on the black market.

If they'd pulled their Louvre heist two centuries ago, the thieves might have tripped over the artist of a painting that hangs in the RISD Museum.

How thieves pulled off the extraordinary theft of priceless jewels from the world-famous museum in broad daylight.