The director of the Louvre admitted on Wednesday a “terrible failure” at the Paris landmark following the stunning daylight heist of the crown jewels at the world's most visited museum and said she had offered to resign but had been refused.
The Louvre and its star attractions – from Venus de Milo To Winged victory of Samothrace — reopened to long lines Wednesday for the first time since one of the century's most notorious museum thefts stunned the world with its audacity and scale.
Speaking before a French Senate committee, Louvre director Laurence de Cars said Sunday's theft exposed a catastrophic lack of surveillance cameras outside the museum and other “weaknesses.”
Under intense pressure over the theft, which tarnished France's global image, de Carse said she had resigned, but the culture minister refused to accept it.
“Today we are experiencing a terrible failure at the Louvre, for which I take my share of responsibility,” she said.
Thieves made their way in and out, stealing eight of the French Crown Jewels, a cultural wound that some have compared to the 2019 arson attack on Notre Dame Cathedral.
Sunday's raid is steps away Mona Lisa — led to criticism of President Emmanuel Macron, de Cars and others. It comes just months after staff went on strike, warning of chronic staffing shortages and insufficient protective equipment, as well as too few facilities.
Crowds thronged the barriers as they were removed on Wednesday, capping the frantic forensic work and staff briefings that took place. Inside the crime scene Gallery d'Apollo, which keeps the crown diamonds – remained sealed, a folding screen covered the doorway at the entrance to the gallery rotunda.
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“The police can deal with thieves”
Three days later, with the jewelry still missing and the thieves still at large, reactions were divided.
“For a place like the Louvre, it's unfathomable,” said Amanda Lee, 36, an art teacher from Chicago. “I heard it took less than four minutes. How is this possible here when the police are nowhere to be seen?”
Others were unfazed. “We told the kids it was a history lesson. The Apollo room is closed, but we saw masterpieces,” said Claire Martin, 41, a French lawyer from Versailles who came with her two children during the school holidays.
“We came for the art,” she said. “The police can deal with the thieves.”
Authorities say the thieves spent less than four minutes inside the Louvre on Sunday morning. A freight elevator was rolled up to the façade facing the Seine, a window was broken in and two display cases were broken.
This was followed by a motorbike holiday in the center of Paris. The alarm went off, attracting agents to the gallery and forcing the intruders to flee.
After the opening, the Louvre declined questions from The Associated Press about any enhanced protocols. The report said there were no uniformed police officers stationed in the hallways. Due to increased demand during the school holidays, the day was fully booked and access was limited.
“I didn’t notice any additional security. Security, as always, and no police inside. It was like a normal day,” said Tomas Alvarez, 29, a software engineer from Madrid.
The prosecutor clarified the progress of the investigation
The thieves stole a total of eight items, including a sapphire tiara, necklace and one earring from a set associated with 19th-century queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense.
They also stole an emerald necklace and earrings associated with Empress Marie-Louise, the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as a reliquary brooch. Empress Eugenie's diamond tiara and her large bodice-bow brooch, an imperial ensemble of rare craftsmanship, were also part of the loot.
One piece, Eugénie's imperial crown, adorned with emeralds and more than 1,300 diamonds, was later found near the museum, damaged but repairable.
After thieves steal famous works of art or jewelry, the next question many people have is how can they sell it without getting caught? Former FBI art crime chief Tim Carpenter says there are a variety of possible scenarios, including one that could result in them being returned unharmed.
Prosecutor Laura Becquo estimated the haul at about 88 million euros ($143 million Canadian), an “impressive” figure that still does not reflect the historical weight of the works of art. She said thieves were unlikely to get anything close to that amount if they pilfered stones or melted metals – a fate curators fear would turn centuries of meaning into anonymous gems for the black market.
Becquau said expert analyzes are currently underway; Four people present at the scene have been identified, and about 100 investigators are establishing a map of the crew and all accomplices.
The robbery tightened control over the security of the Louvre. Culture Minister Rachida Dati came under fire on Tuesday after telling lawmakers there had been no security breaches.
It all comes after Macron announced new measures for the Louvre in January, including a new command post and an expanded camera grid, which the Culture Ministry said was already being implemented.
The protection of the upper works is sealed. Mona Lisafor example, it is located behind armored glass in a climate-controlled housing.
In June, a staff strike due to overcrowding and chronic understaffing delayed the opening. Unions argue that mass tourism leaves too little attention on too many spaces and creates pressure points where construction zones, cargo access and visitor flows intersect.
