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Louvre Jewel Thieves Escaped With 30 Seconds to Spare, Senate Inquiry Finds

Lawmakers describe unaddressed security faults that let a known weak point be exploited.

Overview

  • Only one of two cameras at the break‑in point was functioning and the control room lacked sufficient screens for real‑time monitoring.
  • Police were initially dispatched to the wrong location after the alarm, according to testimony to the Senate culture committee.
  • The gang entered via a riverside balcony long flagged as vulnerable, matching a 2019 Van Cleef & Arpels audit warning about access with an extendable ladder.
  • The heist in the Apollo Gallery lasted about 10 minutes during opening hours, the crew fled on motorbikes, all four suspected robbers have been arrested, and the roughly $102 million in jewels remain missing.
  • The findings heighten pressure on director Laurence des Cars as lawmakers prepare to question museum leaders, staff plan a Dec. 15 strike, and the state auditor criticizes the slow pace of security upgrades.