Fifteen rare pieces of art were stolen on Sunday morning in the Chinese Museum of the Chateau de Fontainebleau, southeast of Paris, the French culture ministry said.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the ministry added the robbers had broken and entered the museum, one of the most secure parts of the castle, shortly before 6:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT).

The ministry added the burglary took only seven minutes and that an investigation had been launched to arrest the perpetrators and find the art ware.

The stolen pieces came from China and Thailand. They were collected by Empress Eugenie, Napoleon's wife. She had them placed in her museum, which was created in 1863.

They included a crown of the King of Siam, given to Emperor Napoleon III during the king's official visit to France in 1861 and a Chinese chimera in cloisonne enamel from the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799). Enditem

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