The Louvre Museum experienced its most spectacular robbery since the famous heist of the Mona Lisa in 1911. This recent incident involved the theft of valuable royal jewels, significantly questioning the security measures in place at French cultural institutions, especially as they become targets for criminal gangs.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez's remarks indicated that the group responsible was highly professional, having meticulously planned the operation. They utilized a truck equipped with a platform to reach the first floor and employed a disc cutter to gain entry.
Inside the Apollo Gallery, the thieves targeted two display cases housing the remnants of France's crown jewels. Among the stolen items were diadems and other significant pieces of jewelry owned by historical figures such as Empress Eugénie and Queen Marie-Amelie.
A crown belonging to Empress Eugénie was recovered, albeit damaged, following its apparent drop during the escape.
While the culture ministry claimed that alarms were triggered correctly, and staff followed protocols, the fact that such a brazen robbery occurred raises concerns. Recent thefts from other museums have highlighted a growing trend of art crime in France, pushing the government to implement a new security plan across various galleries.
As investigators work to track down the culprits, they face the challenge of preventing the jewels from being sold off individually on the black market. The heist not only highlights vulnerabilities in museum security but also the organized nature of art theft in the current landscape.
