"It is clear that we are facing Arsčne Lupin. So far, it has been a movie script. It's hard to imagine that it's so easy to steal from the Louvre," declared the Mayor of Paris, Ariel Weil, who stated he was "astonished" and "in shock" at the striking theft of nine pieces from the collection of Napoleon and Empress Eugenia de Montijo that were stolen from the famous French museum this Sunday by hooded thieves. One of the pieces, the empress's crown, has been recovered, albeit broken.
The Louvre was completely evacuated and will remain closed all day, mainly "to preserve the evidence" of the robbery that investigators will work with, who also have CCTV footage, as stated by the French Interior Minister, Laurent Núnez.
The minister acknowledged that there is a "vulnerability" in the security of French museums, which is why a program was launched to improve the situation, affecting the Louvre as well. At the same time, he made it clear that "not everything can be prevented" and "zero risk cannot be expected to exist."
In a statement, Paris senator Ian Brossat directed his initial thoughts to the staff: "We hope that the police and judicial services quickly identify the perpetrators so they can be convicted and the stolen items recovered," he declared. On June 16, the museum was closed for several hours due to a strike by employees warning about the lack of staff to ensure security. Why did the minister not heed their warnings, one wonders.
"The Louvre is a global symbol of our culture. This theft, which allowed the thieves to steal the jewels of the French Crown, is an unbearable humiliation for our country," reacted the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, on the social network X.
Securing the Louvre, a logistical puzzle
How can a museum of 73,000 m˛ housing around 35,000 works be secured? This Sunday's theft highlights the magnitude of this logistical challenge, on which authorities regularly reflect.
Before this spectacular theft, the last one to hit one of the world's largest museums dates back to 1998 when a painting by the French master Camille Corot was stolen in broad daylight. It was never recovered. "It's a fragile museum," declared its president at the time, Pierre Rosenberg. Almost thirty years later, the observation remains valid, reports Afp.
This Sunday, several thieves entered the museum by cutting a glass with a grinder, after accessing the upper floor with the help of a crane. They headed to the Apollo Gallery, which houses the royal gem collection and the Crown diamonds, where they stole several objects. All in just seven minutes.
In 2021, the museum's management had requested a security audit from the Paris Police Prefecture. Following this audit, recommendations were issued "some weeks, some months ago," and "they have already started to be implemented," stated Culture Minister Rachida Dati on Sunday, without providing further details.
According to some labor organizations, the museum's security has been affected by staff reductions in recent years, just as visitor numbers were soaring. According to union sources, 200 full-time positions have been eliminated in the last 15 years, mainly in security roles, out of a total of around 2,000 employees. "Physical surveillance cannot be dispensed with," emphasizes this source. In mid-June, some museum employees had staged a brief strike to denounce issues of "staff shortage" preventing them from fulfilling their duties. Paris City Council's Green Party councilor, David Belliard, recalled this precedent to question the authorities on Sunday. "This heist comes just months after museum workers raised concerns about security flaws. Why were they ignored by the museum management and the ministry?" he wrote on X.
The security of the Louvre will be a central topic in discussions about the major expansion project of the Parisian museum, announced at the end of January by President Emmanuel Macron. In response to the alarming assessment of the Louvre's deterioration presented by its president, Laurence des Cars, the Head of State announced a colossal renovation project, estimated to cost between 700 and 800 million euros over a decade.
The plan foresees by 2031 a new entrance to relieve congestion at the glass pyramid, an exhibition hall dedicated to the Mona Lisa, and an increase in the entrance fee for non-European visitors, aiming to reach 12 million annual visitors, compared to the current approximately 9 million.
"Security measures are integrated into the Louvre's new major project," Minister Dati assured on Sunday.
Several French museums have recently been targeted by thefts, highlighting possible failures in protection and surveillance systems.
In mid-September, pieces of native gold were stolen during a break-in at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, which lamented an "incalculable loss" for research and heritage.
This theft affected several pieces of native gold, meaning gold in its natural form, explained the museum, which estimated the value of the damage at around 600,000 euros.
During the same month of September, a museum in Limoges, central France, a reference in the field of porcelain, suffered a theft estimated at 6.5 million euros.