Louvre Reopens After €88 Million Jewel Heist, Director Cites “grossly Inadequate” CCTV
PARIS – The Louvre Museum reopened too the public Tuesday morning, a day after thieves made off with approximately €88 million worth of crown jewels in a brazen daylight robbery. The audacious theft, wich occurred Sunday morning, has prompted the museum’s director, Laurence des Cars, to acknowledge a “terrible failure” in security adn advocate for significant upgrades, especially to the museum’s surveillance systems.
The thieves gained entry using a moving elevator and employed a grinder to breach display cases before escaping on motor scooters within minutes. While the Louvre’s alarm systems functioned correctly and no one was injured thanks to the professionalism of security staff, des Cars revealed to a cultural committee that video surveillance around the museum was “grossly inadequate,” lacking a comprehensive view of all facades. She offered her resignation to the Minister of Culture, but it was reportedly refused.
Des cars identified outdated infrastructure as a key impediment to modernizing the security system,hindering the installation of new equipment. She has prioritized installing additional cameras and proposed establishing a dedicated police station within the museum to enable more effective intervention. the Apollo gallery, where the jewels where stolen, will remain closed while investigations continue. Police are currently seeking four initial suspects, but haven’t ruled out the involvement of additional individuals.
