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The Louvre Museum heist has become a symbol of France’s deep security flaws. Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure told lawmakers this week that outdated systems and bureaucratic lapses left the world’s most-visited museum dangerously exposed.
He admitted that “a technological step has not been taken.” Parts of the Louvre’s video network still use analog systems, producing low-quality images that slow emergency responses.
The Louvre Museum heist occurred on October 19, when thieves used a basket lift to reach the Apollo Gallery, broke display cases, and escaped with eight pieces of French crown jewels worth about $102 million—all within minutes, as tourists looked on.
Security Authorization Expired Months Before
Faure revealed a shocking detail: the Louvre’s surveillance authorization expired in July and wasn’t renewed. The lapse, he said, reflected “broader negligence.”
Two suspects were arrested over the weekend, including one caught at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. French prosecutors have until late Wednesday to charge or release them. None of the stolen pieces has been confirmed recovered.
Officials also confirmed that the jewels were not privately insured. France self-insures national museums because of the astronomical cost of coverage, meaning the Louvre will receive no financial compensation.
Police Reject Quick Fixes
Faure dismissed calls for a permanent police post inside the Louvre. “The issue is not a guard at a door; it is speeding the chain of alert,” he said. He urged lawmakers to approve AI-based surveillance tools capable of tracking suspicious movements in real time.
He added that police first learned about the theft not from alarms but from a passing cyclist who called the emergency line.
Culture Ministry Under Pressure
Culture Minister Rachida Dati refused to accept the Louvre director’s resignation. While she defended the museum’s alarm systems, she admitted “security gaps did exist.”
Unions have warned about chronic understaffing, massive tourist crowds, and “untenable” working conditions. Earlier this year, security agents staged a spontaneous strike over unsafe environments.
Experts fear the stolen jewels may already be dismantled and their stones recut to erase their origins. Some suggest displaying replicas while storing the originals in vaults to prevent further cultural loss.
Modernizing a Fragile System
Faure pledged to monitor surveillance-permit deadlines across all national museums and speed up modernization. The planned $93 million overhaul will replace 60 kilometers of cabling, but it may not finish before 2030.
Until then, France faces a painful truth: it must protect its treasures in a digital age with analog tools.
