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New Louvre Heist Footage Exposes 4-Minute Raid and Security Lapses

Broadcast images sharpen scrutiny of Louvre surveillance blind spots, widening pressure on the museum’s security oversight.

Overview

  • French TV programs Sept à Huit (TF1) and Complément d’enquête (France Télévisions) aired the first surveillance video of the October 19 robbery.
  • The footage shows thieves using a moving‑lift van to reach a first‑floor window off a Seine‑side balcony around 9:30 a.m., completing the raid in 3 minutes 52 seconds with power tools.
  • Security staff followed evacuation protocols to move visitors to safety as the thieves smashed display cases, then exited the same window and escaped on high‑powered motorcycles.
  • Louvre director Laurence des Cars acknowledged camera coverage failures, echoing audit findings that flagged neglected security and gaps in monitoring near the access point.
  • Investigators say five suspects remain in custody, including two linked by DNA evidence, while Napoleonic jewels worth about €88 million have not been recovered, according to prosecutor Laure Beccuau.