The president and director of the Louvre, Laurence des Cars, stated on Tuesday that the museum’s alarms did, in fact, work during the spectacular jewel heist, though she admitted that the outdoor surveillance system is “very insufficient.” Her remarks came during an appearance before a Senate committee.
When asked whether all the alarms were functioning at the time of the robbery, Des Cars replied firmly: “Absolutely.”
“The cameras were working inside,” she continued.
However, when questioned about the museum’s exterior surveillance, she acknowledged: “That is our weakness. There are some perimeter cameras, but they are outdated (…) It’s very insufficient and does not cover all the Louvre’s façades. Unfortunately, on the side of the Apollo Gallery, the only camera installed faces west and therefore did not capture the balcony where the thieves entered,” she explained in her first public comments since the heist.
Following the incident—which made headlines worldwide and raised serious questions about museum security in France—Des Cars also called for a police station to be established inside the museum.
“I would like to request that the Ministry of the Interior study whether it would be possible to install a police station within the museum,” she said.
Among other short-term measures, she mentioned increasing security around the Louvre’s surrounding areas, particularly along the roadway.
Des Cars, who in 2021 became the first woman to lead the Louvre, the most visited museum in the world, also revealed that she had offered her resignation to the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, who declined to accept it.
Police are still searching for the group of four perpetrators behind the robbery. The operation, which lasted only eight minutes, has reignited debate over the museum’s security measures. Last year, the Louvre welcomed nine million visitors, 80% of whom were foreign tourists.