Questions are arising regarding the methods used by thieves in executing a daring robbery at the Louvre, where they absconded with jewels valued at an astounding £76 million, as stated by the Paris prosecutor. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati asserted that the security system at the Louvre did not fail but rather functioned effectively, as she addressed the National Assembly.
Outrage swept the nation as the thieves employed a ladder mounted on a vehicle to access a window, broke glass display cases, and stole eight pieces of Napoleonic jewelry embellished with numerous diamonds and gemstones, all within a span of less than eight minutes.
Dati mentioned the initiation of an administrative inquiry alongside the police probe to ensure transparency but provided no insight into how the thieves managed the heist despite the presence of operational cameras.
The theft was described by Dati as “a blow to all of us” due to the Louvre’s significance beyond being the largest museum globally, serving as a symbol of French culture and heritage.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez disclosed that the museum’s alarm was activated when the Apollo Gallery window was forced open. Police were alerted by a witness and arrived within two to three minutes, according to Nunez. Details about potential surveillance footage capturing the thieves were not divulged pending the ongoing police investigation.
A group of four masked individuals accessed a balcony near the Apollo Gallery using a truck with a mechanical lift. Two members of the group utilized a battery-powered cutter to breach glass panes, entered the premises, threatened guards who subsequently evacuated the building. The thieves proceeded to smash display cases, steal royal treasures, and depart the museum after just four minutes.
Officials reported the theft of eight items, including jewelry linked to historical figures such as French queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense, Empress Marie-Louise, and Empress Eugénie. The museum, closed following the incident and remaining shut on Monday and Tuesday, is uncertain about its reopening status for Wednesday.