【Text by Observer Net, Liu Bai】
"It's hard to believe that such a famous museum has such obvious security loopholes!"
During the day, 9 precious treasures were robbed in 7 minutes, and the thieves could escape unscathed... A theft case that occurred at the Louvre Museum in France shocked the world and caused a big uproar within France.
On October 19th, French President Macron posted on social media, criticizing the theft as an infringement on the heritage people cherish, and promised to recover the cultural relics and bring the perpetrators to justice.
At the same time, Jordan Bardella, leader of the right-wing National Rally party in France, posted on the social platform saying that the Louvre is a global symbol of French culture, and he condemned the incident as "an intolerable disgrace." Senior right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen also said on the same day that the Louvre theft was a new ordeal for France.
Many foreign media mentioned that the Louvre is a "museum already overwhelmed," and it has suffered thefts many times in history. However, a robbery during public open hours under the sun is rare, which brings new embarrassment to this cultural gem of France, highlighting the long-standing deep contradictions of the Louvre: the surge in tourist numbers and the heavy workload of staff.
Macron wrote on X: "The theft at the Louvre is an infringement on our cherished heritage, which is precious because it carries our history."
"We will definitely recover the stolen artifacts and bring the perpetrators to justice. Under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor's office, all regions are making every effort to deal with this matter."
"The 'New Renaissance Plan for the Louvre' launched in January this year has included enhanced security measures. This plan will become a solid guarantee for protecting our memory and cultural carriers."
Bardella wrote: "The Louvre is a global symbol of our country's culture. The fact that the thieves managed to steal the royal jewels of France is an intolerable disgrace."
"How much more degradation will the governance of the nation fall into?"
Le Pen also wrote: "The recent theft at the Louvre is a new ordeal for our country. Any infringement on national heritage is a serious blow to the French national spirit. We pay tribute to our law enforcement agencies, and we hope they can quickly recover these jewels."
"This is not the time for debate. However, due to responsibility, we must point out: the security level of our museums and historical buildings is far from meeting the standards required to face the threats they face. We must take action."
On the morning of the 19th, a robbery occurred at the Louvre Museum located in the capital city of Paris. The museum announced a temporary closure for one day. The masked intruders stole 9 pieces of jewelry, and one of the stolen artifacts was found outside the museum. The thieves are still at large.
According to reports, the stolen items include necklaces, brooches, crowns, etc. The "Regent Diamond" weighing over 140 carats was not stolen. One piece of jewelry was left behind by the suspects during their escape and has been recovered.
The crown of Empress Eugénie of Napoleon III, which was left behind by the thief. Photo
According to the newspaper "Le Parisien," the crown found outside the Louvre Museum may belong to Empress Eugénie of Napoleon III. It is set with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, and it was found damaged.
Magali Künner, a French teacher from near Lyon, told AFP: "It's incredible that such a famous museum has such obvious security loopholes."
How did the thieves commit the crime?
According to French officials, around 9:30 a.m., several intruders broke into the building by smashing the window, cut the glass with a disc cutter, and directly rushed towards the glass display cases.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told the media that this was a "bold theft," where the thieves entered the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre and stole a batch of "invaluable" jewelry, and the entire crime took only 7 minutes.
He said the thieves smashed two display cases and then rode motorcycles away. No one was injured in the incident. After the alarm rang, Louvre staff arrived at the scene quickly, forcing the intruders to flee in a panic, but the theft had already been completed.
The elevator used by the thieves to enter the Louvre. Social media
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on social media that morning that a robbery occurred when the Louvre opened. No one was injured. Dati said she was on site with museum staff and police to handle the incident, and the relevant investigation was ongoing.
Dati said that shortly after receiving the report of the theft, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene, but the entire theft process lasted only a few minutes, "very fast."
She speculated that the thieves were "professionals": "Now, organized crime targets artworks, and museums naturally become targets."
From the latest disclosed information, the thieves used electric tools and motorcycles, completing the theft that lasted only a few minutes efficiently.
Crime scene investigators at the Louvre checking the cut window and balcony in a gallery. Visual China
A police source told AFP that the gang arrived by motorcycle, carrying angle grinders. They used lifting equipment to approach the gallery from the outside, cutting the window glass with a disc cutter. A witness told France 1 television that he was cycling nearby when he saw two men "climb up the lifting equipment, break the window and enter," and the whole operation "only took 30 seconds."
The newspaper "Le Parisien" reported that the thieves entered the museum from the facade facing the Seine River, which was under construction at the time. The report also stated that two of them were wearing yellow safety vests, dressed as construction workers.
On-site footage showed that the lifting equipment was fixed on the exterior facade facing the Seine River, leading to a balcony window. Analysts said this was the entry point of the thieves, and the equipment had been removed by Sunday.
On October 19, the Louvre Museum was robbed, with multiple artifacts stolen, and the museum announced a temporary closure for one day. IC Photo
As the thieves are still at large, the investigation team has entered the Louvre and the surrounding streets to collect evidence and review surveillance footage from the Denon wing (where the Apollo Gallery is located) and along the Seine River. Authorities said they plan to question the staff who were on duty when the museum opened on the 19th.
The French Interior Ministry stated in a statement that they are compiling a detailed list of the stolen items. "These items have immeasurable market value, as well as priceless heritage and historical value."
The Overburdened Louvre
The Louvre was built in the late 12th century and has been the official residence of French kings for centuries. King Louis XIV decided to move the court to the Palace of Versailles in the suburbs of Paris, which created the conditions for the establishment of the Louvre Museum in 1793.
Since then, it has become the most visited museum in the world and a must-visit cultural destination in Paris.
Visitors view the marble sculpture "Venus de Milo" (also known as "the Broken-Armed Venus") at the Louvre. Observer Net
Although renowned internationally, the Louvre is not unfamiliar with the theft of cultural relics.
The Louvre's most famous theft occurred in 1911, when the Mona Lisa painting was stolen from its frame. The thief hid the painting in his clothes and left the museum unnoticed. Two years later, the painting was recovered.
Decades later, in 1956, a tourist threw a stone at the painting, causing damage to the paint around the character's left elbow, prompting the museum to display the painting behind bulletproof glass.
The most recent incident was the return of two 16th-century armors nearly 40 years after they were stolen. These Renaissance helmets and armor were on display at the Louvre and were stolen between the night of May 31 and June 1, 1983. It wasn't until March 2021 that the stolen artifacts were returned to the museum.
AP bluntly stated that daylight thefts during opening hours are rare, and breaking into the Louvre with tourists present is one of the boldest thefts in Europe in recent years.
This theft has brought new embarrassment to the Louvre, which is already under scrutiny, once again exposing the long-standing deep contradiction of the Louvre: the surge in tourist numbers and the heavy workload of staff.
In recent years, the Louvre has faced pressure from increasing numbers of tourists, with a total of 8.7 million visitors in 2024. But the large number of daily visitors puts a huge pressure on the historic building and its staff.
In June this year, due to staff shortages, the museum postponed its opening time. An anonymous union source told AFP that in the past 15 years, the Louvre reduced about 200 positions in its workforce of nearly 2,000 people.
Earlier this year, "Le Parisien" reported on a confidential letter written by the Louvre director Laurence des Cars to Culture Minister Rachida Dati, warning that the facilities of this top European attraction are in a deteriorating state.
The memo dated January 23 indicated that Des Cars requested urgent assistance to address a series of issues affecting the museum. She warned that the damage to the museum premises is increasingly severe, with some areas "severely aged."
The memo listed the existing problems in detail, including water leakage, overcrowding of tourists, and worrying temperature fluctuations, which could "threaten the preservation of the artworks."
The director also reminded that due to excessive tourists, the services provided by the Louvre to the public are "insufficient," with the number of catering services and restrooms "far below international standards."
The memo read: "Visiting the Louvre has become a physical exertion; visiting the artworks not only takes time, but is often not easy."
Visitors usually flock to the location where the Mona Lisa is displayed, which is one of the most famous artworks in the Louvre and even the world.
However, the director called for rethinking the placement of this artwork. French President Macron had announced that as part of a major renovation plan, the Mona Lisa would have a dedicated exhibition hall in the Louvre. The expansion project of this Paris landmark is expected to take up to 10 years.
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