French senators call Louvre security ‘below modern standards’ following heist
French senators visiting the Louvre Museum on Tuesday criticized the museum’s security as “not in line” with modern standards, urging rapid improvements after a high-profile jewelry heist earlier this month.
On October 19, thieves stole jewels worth €88 million ($102 million) in less than eight minutes, using a basket lift to scale the façade, break a window, and breach display cases. Two suspects have since been arrested and are under police questioning, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Sen. Laurent Lafon, head of the Senate’s Culture Committee, said, “The security equipment is not suitable for a 21st-century museum such as the Louvre. Our flagship must be exemplary, and today we cannot describe security conditions as exemplary.” He acknowledged weaknesses in outdoor cameras that facilitated the robbery, without providing further details.
The senators called for a speedy start to the Louvre’s planned renovation and modernization under the “Louvre New Renaissance” initiative. Launched earlier this year, the decade-long plan is expected to cost up to €800 million ($933 million), aiming to modernize infrastructure, improve crowd management, and give the Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery by 2031.
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