Security Lapses Exposed in Louvre Heist: Director's Revelations

Tue Oct 28 2025 22:43:17 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Following the audacious theft of €88 million in crown jewels, Louvre's director reveals a critical failure in security measures, including inadequately placed CCTV cameras.

Laurence des Cars, the director of the Louvre, disclosed significant security shortcomings during a Senate inquiry following a high-profile theft of crown jewels valued at €88 million. The only CCTV camera monitoring the external wall was inadequately positioned, leading to the failure to detect the theft. Despite heavy visitor traffic, improvement efforts for the museum's security system have been slow, prompting calls for modernization and additional surveillance.

The Louvre failed to spot a gang of thieves early enough to stop the theft of €88m (£76m) worth of French crown jewels, the museum's director has revealed.

Laurence des Cars, speaking publicly for the first time since the heist on Sunday, told French senators that CCTV around the Louvre's perimeter was weak and aging.

The only camera monitoring the exterior wall of the Louvre where they broke in was pointing away from the first-floor balcony that led to Gallery of Apollo housing the jewels, she said.

We failed these jewels, she said, adding that no-one was protected from brutal criminals - not even the Louvre.

Ministers have given press conferences and interviews and denied security failings, but des Cars cut through that and admitted the Louvre had been defeated.

Her words gave an extraordinary insight into the difficulty of securing the world's most visited museum, and how bad its security really was.

The CCTV system outside the Louvre was very unsatisfactory she said and inside, some areas were simply too old to adapt to modern technologies.

Despite the museum's huge volume of visitors - 8.7 million last year alone - investment in security has been slow and she highlighted the budget challenges big institutions face.

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The museum re-opened on Wednesday, although the gallery remained shut.

The Louvre is home to priceless works of art including Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. A hunt is still under way for the gang of four who, over the space of less than 10 minutes, broke into one of the world's most famous museums. They made off with eight prized pieces of jewellery including a diamond and emerald necklace Emperor Napoleon gave to his wife.

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Des Cars expressed her determination to overhaul security, acknowledging a critical vulnerability in the museum's perimeter protection and the urgent need for modernization.