Concerns are growing surrounding the methods employed by thieves in executing a bold robbery at the Louvre museum, absconding with jewels valued at an astonishing £76 million, as confirmed by the prosecutor in Paris.
French culture minister Rachida Dati emphasized to the National Assembly that the security system at the Louvre did not falter but instead functioned as intended. She highlighted that the security measures at the museum were effective.
Outrage spread across the nation following the use of a ladder mounted on a vehicle by the thieves to access a window, break glass showcases, and steal eight pieces of Napoleonic jewelry adorned with numerous diamonds and gemstones within a span of fewer than eight minutes.
Dati announced the initiation of an administrative inquiry in conjunction with the police probe to ensure transparency but did not offer an explanation on how the theft was carried out despite the presence of operational security cameras.
Describing the incident as “a blow to all of us,” Dati expressed her dismay, underlining the Louvre’s significance as not just the world’s largest museum but also a representation of French culture and heritage.
Interior minister Laurent Nunez disclosed that the museum’s alarm was activated when the Apollo Gallery window was forced open. He mentioned that the police arrived shortly after a witness reported the situation, with no further details provided on the surveillance footage capturing the perpetrators due to the ongoing police investigation.
A group of four masked individuals accessed a balcony near the Apollo Gallery using a truck equipped with a mechanical lift. Two members of the group utilized a battery-powered cutter to break through glass panes, entered the premises, intimidated the guards who evacuated the area, ransacked the glass display cases, and stole valuable artifacts before fleeing the museum in a swift four-minute operation.
Among the stolen items were eight valuable pieces, including jewelry linked to 19th-century French queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense, Empress Marie-Louise, and Empress Eugénie, embellished with diamonds and gemstones.
The reopening of the museum, which was closed post-robbery and remained shut on subsequent days, remains uncertain for Wednesday.
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