The head of France’s state audit office described the dramatic theft of crown jewels from the Louvre last month as “a deafening wake up call” for the museum’s security operations.
The report, prepared by the Cour des Comptes and presented by Pierre Moscovici, states the museum had sufficient funds for the improvements yet the pace of upgrading safety and technical infrastructure was wholly inadequate.
Covering the period between 2018 and 2024, the audit found that the museum’s management repeatedly placed priority on high profile acquisitions and visitor attracting displays over essential maintenance and security systems. As of 2024 only 39 percent of the museum’s rooms were fitted with CCTV cameras and the full security upgrade is not expected to be completed until 2032.
The heist took place on October 19 when a four man gang scaled the museum’s first floor window via a stolen truck and extendable ladder, smashed display cases and fled on scooters in under seven minutes with jewels including a necklace once given by Napoleon I’s second wife and a diadem once worn by the wife of Napoleon III. None of the items have yet been recovered.
The audit also highlighted systemic management issues including excessive spending on art acquisitions while investing minimal amounts in the museum’s security master plan. The auditors demanded a drastic re balancing of priorities including reducing acquisitions, raising ticket prices and accelerating the deployment of anti intrusion and surveillance technology.
The Louvre’s management has accepted most of the recommendations and pledged to speed up corrective action, while the Ministry of Culture has called for the immediate implementation of stronger security measures including anti vehicle barriers and external surveillance upgrades by year end.
