France’s Louvre Museum will install 100 external cameras by the end of 2026 as part of measures to beef up security following last month’s spectacular robbery, its director said on Wednesday.
Laurence Des Cars also stated at a National Assembly hearing that ties with the Paris police would be strengthened with the installation of an ‘advanced police station within the Louvre estate’.
The October 19 daylight robbery, in which four thieves made off with jewelry worth $102 million, has raised doubts about the credibility of the world’s most visited museum as guardian of its countless works.
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Although investigators have charged four suspects with involvement in the attack, the treasures have not yet been recovered.
Authorities admitted that security camera coverage of the museum’s exterior walls was inadequate and that there was no coverage of the balcony involved in the robbery.
Following the theft, French authorities said the Louvre would implement additional security measures, including anti-intrusion devices and crash barriers on nearby public roads, by the end of the year.
A report published last month by France’s public audit body, known as the Cour des Comptes, said the museum’s inability to update its infrastructure was exacerbated by excessive spending on works of art.
Des Cars, however, told MPs: ‘I take full responsibility for these acquisitions, which are the pride of our country and our collections. Work at the Louvre should not be seen as competing with the enrichment of national collections.’
