PARIS, 22 October (H.S.): The director of the Louvre Museum, Laurence des Cars, is set to face a French Senate committee on Wednesday to answer for a stunning daylight heist that saw thieves make off with royal jewels valued at more than $100 million. The brazen robbery, which occurred last Sunday and lasted a mere seven minutes, has intensified scrutiny over security protocols at one of the world’s most prestigious cultural institutions.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed on Tuesday that the stolen artifacts were estimated to be worth at least 88 million euros ($102 million). The heist forced the Louvre, which is normally closed on Tuesdays, to remain shut to the public for two consecutive days to aid the investigation, leaving thousands of tourists frustrated.
Scores of investigators are now hunting for the four culprits, who are believed to be part of an organized crime group. On Sunday morning, shortly after the museum opened, the thieves parked a truck with an extendable ladder beneath the Apollo Gallery. They ascended the ladder, used cutting equipment to force their way through a window, and smashed display cases to seize eight priceless pieces.
The stolen items include an emerald-and-diamond necklace once owned by Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon I’s wife, and a diadem adorned with nearly 2,000 diamonds that belonged to Empress Eugenie.The robbery has renewed a fierce debate over the state of security in French museums.
A recent report from France’s Court of Auditors noted persistent delays in security upgrades at the Louvre, revealing that only a quarter of one wing was covered by video surveillance. In January, des Cars herself had reportedly warned Culture Minister Rachida Dati about a worrying level of obsolescence at the museum.
This incident follows two other significant museum thefts in France last month, including one at Paris’s Natural History Museum where gold nuggets worth over $1.5 million were stolen.Labor unions have also raised alarms, complaining that security staff positions at the Louvre have been cut even as visitor numbers have soared.
—————
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
