Louvre Museum director steps down after October jewel heist

The director of the Louvre Museum resigned Tuesday following months of mounting pressure after the October theft of the French crown jewels, as the world’s most visited museum faced growing scrutiny over security lapses, labor unrest and a suspected long-running ticket fraud scheme.

Laurence des Cars stepped down after what many described as a punishing year for the former royal palace, News.Az reports, citing AP.

The crisis began with the high-profile theft of jewels from the Apollo Gallery in October. It was followed by a burst pipe near the Mona Lisa in mid-February, water leaks that damaged rare and valuable books, staff walkouts and a wildcat strike over overcrowding and chronic understaffing.

The string of incidents fueled a growing perception that the institution was losing control.

Pressure intensified further when French authorities disclosed a suspected ticket fraud operation linked to the museum that investigators believe may have cost the Louvre approximately 10 million euros ($11.8 million) over the past decade.

French President Emmanuel Macron accepted des Cars’ resignation, describing it as “an act of responsibility” at a time when the Louvre requires “calm” and renewed momentum for security upgrades, modernization and other major projects, according to a statement from his office.

Macron indicated he plans to assign des Cars a new role during France’s presidency of the Group of Seven, focusing on strengthening cooperation among leading international museums.

For many in France’s cultural community, the resignation addresses months of questions about accountability following what was widely regarded as one of the most humiliating breaches of French heritage security in living memory.

Lawmakers and cultural officials have expanded their review of the museum’s leadership and security practices in the months since the theft. In October, thieves took less than eight minutes to steal crown jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) in a daytime operation that stunned visitors and exposed serious vulnerabilities.

Although several suspects were later arrested, the stolen pieces have not been recovered.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev