ISTANBUL

The director of Paris’ Louvre Museum late Wednesday announced her resignation after the crown jewels, valued at €88 million (around $102.2 million), were stolen from the famed Apollo Gallery in a spectacular burglary.

"After assessing … the consequences of the terrible attack we had just suffered, I submitted my resignation to the Minister of Culture, in keeping with my responsibility," Laurence des Cars said during her statement at the Senate.

She accepted her "share of responsibility” in the “terrible failure" and acknowledged that the museum did not detect the thieves’ arrival "early enough."

"The weaknesses of our perimeter protection are known and identified," des Cars said, pointing to the “very insufficient video network” and a “major issue with the security posts.”

She further noted that the Empress Eugenie's crown, which was dropped and "quite damaged" on the escape route, can go through a “delicate restoration” process.

The break-in, which lasted no more than seven minutes, was carried out by four criminals who used a stolen freight elevator to reach the gallery’s window on Sunday.

Investigators later discovered that the same elevator had been carjacked nine days earlier in the town of Louvres (Val-d’Oise), after suspects posed as potential buyers responding to an online advertisement.

In their rushed escape, the thieves abandoned a scooter helmet, blowtorch, walkie-talkie, yellow vest, blanket, and a can of gasoline, all now in the hands of investigators for forensic analysis.

The Louvre, which had initially planned a partial reopening on Monday, remained closed until Wednesday.

The thieves stole "eight objects of priceless heritage value," according to the Culture Ministry, but dropped Empress Eugenie's crown, which was damaged on the escape route.​​​​​​​

So far, no suspects have been arrested.