Over 20 emergency measures to be implemented at Paris' Louvre in wake of daytime heist

ISTANBUL

The director of Paris’ famed Louvre on Wednesday announced plans to implement more than 20 emergency measures, a month after a high-profile daytime art theft at the museum.

Testifying to the National Assembly’s Cultural Affairs Committee, Laurence des Cars announced that 20 "emergency measures" will be implemented at the Louvre Museum with deployment set to unfold “in the coming days.”

The measures include creating a security-coordination post, installing barriers around the Louvre’s most sensitive buildings, and speeding up the installation of 100 perimeter cameras by the end of 2026.

She also noted that links with the police prefecture would be strengthened, with a police station soon to be established within the Louvre grounds.

"The Louvre has faced in recent weeks a flood of attacks and criticisms aimed at spreading false information and taking things out of context,” des Cars stressed.

She sought to clarify that the anti-intrusion alarm in the Apollo Gallery was functioning correctly and did trigger as intended, and that security staff had followed all safety protocols.

She also stressed that the Louvre had not prioritized “unnecessary expenses” to support an overly costly acquisition policy.

In early November, France's audit office criticized the Louvre Museum for favoring showy initiatives over ensuring safety and security.

"The Court found that the museum prioritized visible and attractive initiatives – such as art acquisitions and exhibition redesigns – at the expense of building maintenance and renovation, particularly regarding technical, safety, and security installations," the Court of Accounts said in a report.

On Oct. 19, a group of thieves parked a stolen truck outside the Louvre, used a furniture lift to reach the first floor, and broke into one of the museum’s most ornate rooms.

Within minutes, they fled on scooters with royal jewels, including an emerald and diamond necklace once given by Napoleon Bonaparte to his second wife, Austria’s Marie-Louise, and a diadem belonging to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III.

Four people have been charged over the theft so far, including a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman whose DNA was reportedly found on the lift used in the heist.