Overview
- France’s Court of Auditors said the museum prioritized acquisitions and splashy projects over safety, finding only 39% of rooms had CCTV in 2024 and warning the security overhaul is slated to stretch to 2032.
- Reporting on a 2014 ANSSI review says the server managing the video surveillance used the password “LOUVRE,” with other systems using “THALES” and some workstations still running Windows 2000.
- Louvre director Laurence des Cars told senators the Apollo Gallery’s alarms and cameras functioned but acknowledged a perimeter-security weakness, noting the lone exterior camera faced away from the thieves’ entry window.
- Investigators have arrested multiple suspects, with at least four in custody and some partial admissions reported, yet none of the eight stolen crown‑jewel items have been recovered.
- Culture Minister Rachida Dati ordered new anti-intrusion measures and a dedicated security directorate, and auditors urged reallocating funds from acquisitions and raising ticket prices to accelerate fixes.