Louvre Museum: Window through which thieves broke in not monitored by security camera

The Louvre's ageing security camera system failed on Sunday to detect the thieves in time to prevent their historic heist, the museum's director said on Wednesday as the museum reopened to visitors.

"Despite our efforts, despite our hard work every day, we were defeated," Laurence des Cars, the Louvre director, told a Senate committee.

"We did not detect the thieves' arrival early enough," she said, blaming it on the fact that there were not enough cameras outside monitoring the vicinity of the museum.

The outside security cameras do not offer full coverage of the museum's facade, she said, adding that, in particular, the window through which the thieves broke in was not monitored by CCTV.

Des Cars insisted she had repeatedly warned that the centuries-old building's security was in a dire state.

"The warnings I had been sounding came horribly true last Sunday," she said.

She added that she had handed in her resignation to Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who had refused it.

Francis Steinbock, managing director of the Louvre, tells the committee he was shocked when he visited the five security control rooms and the central control room.

He says the work on the biggest wing will cost €12m (£10m), and the other wings will cost between €6-9m (£5-8m).

Des Cars, president and director of the Louvre Museum appeared before the French Senate today to answer questions bordering on the jewel heist which took place at the Museum on Sunday.

Reactions have followed the incident with some labelling it as an attack on French identity while others said it pointed to a prevailing lax security system in Museums. 

Des Cars while fielding questions in the French senate appeared alongisde Dominique Buffin, the Director of Public reception and surveillance also at the Louvre Museum, Francis Steinbock, Deputy General Administrator of the Louvre Museum, and Matthias Grolier, Chief of Staff to the President and Director of the Louvre Museum.

French Senator Laurent Lafon also attended the hearing by the Culture, Education, Communication and Sport Commission at the French Senate.

The hearing coincides with the reopening of the Louvre Museum to the general publich since last Sunday's heist, while the Galerie d'Apollon where eight pieces of Napoleon and the Empress's jewelry collection displayed in the gallery were stolen by thieves, remains closed.

The historic jewellery worth an estimated 88 million euros ($102 million) was taken in a spectacular heist that has raised urgent questions over security lapses at the museum.

Masked thieves used a stolen lift to break in and steal the royal jewels.

Amid rising frustration in France that no senior official has taken responsibility, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said there had clearly been security failures and Culture Minister Rachida Dati had launched an administrative inquiry.

"There was a burglary at the Louvre, some of the most precious jewels in France were stolen. So obviously it's a failure, there is nothing else I can say," Nunez told. 

But he added that "the alarm system worked perfectly, as soon as the window was attacked, it was activated. Police were notified, and within three minutes they were on the scene. The whole system worked, it didn't fail, but what happened has happened."

President Emmanuel Macron has announced a six-year renovation of the Louvre, which will include money for security upgrades. 

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