Seven minutes is all it took to artfully plunder the world's most famous museum.

On Sunday, four masked thieves stole eight pieces of jewelry from the Louvre valued at $102 million , sparking a national outcry and nationwide manhunt . The daring heist took just seven minutes, leaving investigators searching for answers as to how one of the world's most secure museums was robbed in such a brief window of time.

Here is a minute-by-minute breakdown of how it all went down, based on what investigators know so far.

9:30 a.m.: Thieves arrive at the Louvre

A truck with an extendable ladder arrived at the Louvre's Seine-facing side. The thieves raised the ladder in order to reach a second-floor balcony to enter the museum, according to police.

View of the empty courtyard of the Louvre mu

See Full Page