Louvre museum chief blames CCTV gaps for S$132.5 million Paris heist

The world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris, France has reopened after a robbery in broad daylight that saw thieves pulling off a heist by stealing eight priceless French crown jewels worth around US$102 million (S$132,500,000).

The thieves broke in using a ladder on a truck, but dropped a diamond-studded crown as they made their getaway on motorbikes.

Museum director, Laurence des Cars, admitted that outdated security systems and camera blind spots allowed the heist to happen in seven minutes.

Lack of CCTV coverage

Appearing before France’s Senate Culture Committee on Oct. 22, Des Cars accepted responsibility and described the incident as “a terrible failure".

“Despite our efforts, despite our hard work on a daily basis, we failed,” she said, as reported by The Guardian.

The museum chief revealed that a key weakness lay in its surveillance coverage:

“The only camera installed is directed westward and therefore did not cover the balcony involved in the break-in,” she told senators, acknowledging that the window used for entry was not monitored by any CCTVs at all.

Des Cars confirmed that she had offered her resignation on Oct. 19 after the burglary, but Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who has also come under fire following the theft, refused it.

She added that the security camera coverage of the museum’s outer walls was “highly insufficient”.

Ageing systems and ignored warnings

The hearing exposed deeper issues at the Louvre.

Des Cars said the museum’s security system is decades old, and that she had repeatedly warned of its limitations, reported Reuters.

Earlier this year, she wrote to Dati requesting government support to restore the Louvre’s crumbling infrastructure.

In the letter, she cited leaks, unstable temperatures that threatened the artworks and insufficient visitor facilities.

“The warnings I had been sounding came horribly true last Sunday," she said.

President Emmanuel Macron had already announced a 10-year modernisation plan for the museum in January, but the heist has accelerated calls for urgent investment and security reform, according to Le Monde.

The citizens yearn for a good ol’ heist

Netizens had a field day with the heist, with many users praising the jewel thieves and calling the incident “chic”.

There were also various comments noting that the heist was a breath of fresh air as it was a “traditional” one that left no one harmed instead of the usual cyber scams plaguing the news.

Others took to dark humour by pretending to be the robbers showing off their “haul” after the heist.

@yuliyadatsenko Who wants an unboxing? Got tiaras, necklaces, earrings. #louvre #simscosplay ♬ The Subway - Chappell Roan

@lily0e I’m happy to be in Paris! #Louvre #louvremuseum #louvrerobbery #paris #haul ♬ original sound - Lily Olsen

Or dressing up as the purported thieves.

@kirill_sokolovski99♬ оригинальный звук - satievaraushan

Museum promises overhaul

The robbery, which some lawmakers have called “a national humiliation”, has raised uncomfortable questions about the state of France’s cultural institutions.

At least four French museums have been robbed over the last two months, according to media reports, as reported by Reuters.

Culture Minister Dati had noted that the thieves were calm and professional, according to France 24.

"We saw some footage: they don't target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash display cases, take their loot, and leave. No violence, very professional.”

In response, Des Cars announced immediate steps to strengthen security such as increasing CCTV coverage throughout the museum, establishing a police post inside the museum and establishing no-parking perimeters in areas around the museum.

The Louvre was closed for three days following the incident and reopened on Oct. 22 after emergency checks and repairs.

The interior minister said that investigators are pursuing several leads as well as links to organised crime networks, Le Monde confirmed.

Over 100 investigators are involved in the inquiry.

"I have full confidence, that's for sure, that we will find the perpetrators," he said.

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