In a decisive response to last month's multi-million euro crown jewels robbery, the Louvre Museum in Paris has announced a major security overhaul. The world's most visited museum will install around 100 new surveillance cameras and advanced anti-intrusion systems to prevent future breaches.
Immediate Security Upgrades
Louvre director Laurence des Cars revealed that anti-intrusion systems will be operational within two weeks, while the comprehensive network of approximately 100 surveillance cameras will be functional by the end of next year. Speaking before the Committee of Cultural Affairs of the National Assembly, des Cars declared, "After the shock, after the emotion, after the assessment, it's time for action."
The new security measures represent part of more than 20 emergency initiatives being implemented. Additionally, the museum has created a new "security coordinator" position, with the job posting appearing this month. Des Cars explained that the anti-intrusion equipment will prevent unauthorized individuals from approaching museum buildings, though she didn't provide specific technical details.
The Stunning Heist Details
The October 19 robbery saw thieves execute a perfectly timed operation, taking less than eight minutes to breach the Apollo Gallery using a freight lift to force entry through a window. The stolen treasure was valued at approximately 88 million euros ($102 million).
New disturbing details emerged about the security breach. Des Cars disclosed that the thieves used disc cutters designed for concrete to break into the display cases. "It's a method that had not been imagined at all" when the Apollo Gallery cases were replaced in 2019, she admitted. The cases had been primarily designed to withstand attacks from inside the museum using conventional weapons.
Despite the sophisticated tools used by the robbers, surveillance footage showed the display cases "held up remarkably well and did not break apart," according to des Cars. "Videos show how difficult it was for the thieves," she added, indicating the security measures provided some resistance.
Long-Term Renaissance Plan
The security enhancements align with the Louvre's decade-long "Louvre New Renaissance" modernization strategy launched earlier this year. This ambitious 800 million euro ($933 million) project, scheduled for completion by 2031, aims to comprehensively update infrastructure, reduce crowding, and create a dedicated gallery for the Mona Lisa.
Des Cars emphasized that security improvement represents a cornerstone of this extensive modernization effort. The museum has been struggling under the pressure of mass tourism, prompting the director to cap daily visitors at 30,000 in recent years. This number dramatically exceeds the original capacity planned for the iconic glass pyramid, which was inaugurated in 1989 to accommodate approximately 4 million annual visitors. This year alone, the Louvre has already welcomed over 8 million people.
"The extensive modernization that the Louvre underwent in the 1980s is now technically obsolete, with equipment that has been overperforming for 40 years," des Cars acknowledged. The museum's structural challenges became particularly evident when the Louvre announced the temporary closure of some employee offices and one public gallery on Monday due to structural fragility.
