Louvre Director Resigns After Jewel Theft
The director of the Louvre museum in Paris has stepped down, several months after a major theft that saw France’s crown jewels stolen from one of the most visited museums in the world.
Laurence des Cars submitted her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who welcomed the move, saying the museum now needed “calm and a strong new impetus” to move forward with major projects focused on security and modernisation.
Louvre Theft Exposes Security Failures
The high-profile robbery took place on the morning of 19 October last year. Thieves used a stolen vehicle fitted with a mechanical lift to reach a balcony overlooking the River Seine and break into the museum. From there they accessed the Gallery of Apollo, where the crown jewels were displayed.
Although four main suspects have since been arrested the stolen jewellery estimated to be worth €88 million (£76m, $104m) has not yet been recovered. Among the missing items are a diamond and emerald necklace once given by Emperor Napoleon to his wife.
As the thieves escaped, they dropped a 19th-century diamond-studded crown belonging to Empress Eugénie. The crown was damaged in the fall. Earlier this month the Louvre released the first image of the crown since the raid, saying it was “nearly intact” and could be fully restored.
In the days following the theft, des Cars acknowledged serious weaknesses in the museum’s security system. She admitted that the CCTV covering the museum’s perimeter was outdated and poorly positioned. Notably, the only camera monitoring the exterior wall where the thieves entered was pointing away from the balcony they used.
Despite welcoming more than 8.7 million visitors each year, investment in security at the Louvre had been slow. Des Cars pointed to the financial pressures faced by major cultural institutions and had proposed doubling the number of surveillance cameras.
A parliamentary inquiry into the security failures is now under way. While the final report is expected in May. A preliminary version released last week described the incident as the result of “systemic failures”.
The museum has also faced further problems in recent months. Including a suspected ticket fraud scheme and a water leak. Adding to the challenges during an already turbulent period for the iconic institution.
