Concerns are rising regarding the methods employed by thieves in executing a daring robbery at the Louvre, where they managed to escape with jewels valued at an astonishing £76 million, as confirmed by the Paris prosecutor.
The French culture minister, Rachida Dati, asserted before the National Assembly that the security system at the Louvre museum did not falter but effectively operated during the incident.
The public expressed outrage after the thieves utilized a ladder mounted on a vehicle to access a window, break glass display cases, and steal eight pieces of Napoleonic jewelry embellished with numerous diamonds and gemstones, completing the heist in less than eight minutes.
Dati mentioned that an administrative inquiry, in addition to a police investigation, has been initiated to ensure transparency, although no clarification was provided on how the thieves managed to carry out the robbery despite the presence of functioning cameras.
Describing the theft as a significant blow, Dati emphasized the cultural and historical significance of the Louvre as a representation of French heritage and culture.
The interior minister, Laurent Nunez, disclosed that the museum’s alarm was activated when the Apollo Gallery window was forced open, with police responding within a few minutes of being alerted by a witness. Nunez refrained from disclosing details about potential surveillance footage capturing the thieves, citing the ongoing police inquiry.
A group of four masked individuals ascended a balcony near the Apollo Gallery using a truck equipped with a mechanical lift. Following the intrusion, two members of the group used a battery-powered cutter to break through glass panes, entered the premises, threatened the guards, who evacuated the building, and proceeded to ransack the display cases before swiftly departing the scene after just four minutes.
Authorities reported that eight items were stolen, including jewelry pieces associated with prominent historical figures such as French queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense, Empress Marie-Louise, and Empress Eugénie, featuring a sapphire diadem, emerald necklace and earrings, a reliquary brooch, and a diadem adorned with nearly 2,000 diamonds.
The reopening of the museum, which was closed following the robbery and remained shut on Monday and Tuesday, is currently uncertain.
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