Editor’s Note
This article highlights a critical 30-second security lapse at the Louvre, revealing how a slight delay allowed a major theft. It underscores the importance of precise timing and robust protocols in protecting cultural heritage.
A theft at the Louvre Museum in October, where priceless crown jewels remain missing, could have been prevented if security had arrived just 30 seconds earlier, according to an investigation report released today.
The report, ordered by the French Ministry of Culture following the embarrassing daylight heist, details multiple security lapses. On the morning of Sunday, October 19, only one of two surveillance cameras near the crime scene was operational. The security monitoring room also lacked sufficient screens to view all camera feeds in real-time. Furthermore, poor coordination led police to be initially dispatched to the wrong location after the alarm was triggered.
investigation lead Noel Corbin told senators. He stated that a modern surveillance system, reinforced glass on the door cut open by the thieves with an angle grinder, or better internal coordination could have prevented the theft of the jewels, valued at approximately $102 million, which are still missing.
The report confirmed that previous security assessments, including an audit conducted years ago by experts from jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels, had already identified risks. That audit specifically flagged the balcony used by the thieves as a security blind spot, accessible via an extendable ladder—a detail that matched the crime’s execution. Corbin noted that the current Louvre president, Laurence des Cars, was unaware of this audit ordered by her predecessor, Jean-Luc Martinez.
he added, citing a lack of coordination between the two government-appointed administrators.
Police believe the four arrested thieves constitute the entire group. The theft in the Apollo Gallery took about 10 minutes before the perpetrators escaped on motorcycles. The release of today’s report is expected to increase pressure on President Laurence des Cars, who has already faced calls for her resignation.