France to bolster museum security after daring Louvre jewel heist

France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has ordered heightened security around the country’s cultural institutions following a dramatic daylight jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris — an incident some have dubbed the “heist of the century.”

Nuñez, who has held the post for just a week, made the decision after convening an emergency meeting on October 20 with Culture Minister Rachida Dati and police officials, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The meeting came just one day after four thieves used a crane to smash an upstairs window of the world-renowned museum, stealing priceless royal jewels before fleeing on motorbikes.

The break-in, which occurred in broad daylight, has sparked public outrage and raised serious concerns about security at France’s most visited museum, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024 and houses treasures such as the Mona Lisa and the French Crown Jewels.

As crowds gathered outside the shuttered museum on Monday — many photographing the now-infamous smashed window — reactions ranged from shock to national embarrassment.

“I’m passing by here just to immortalize this little moment, which is not very glorious for France,” visitor Victor Sauvageot told reporters.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin was blunt in his assessment, telling France Inter radio: “What is certain is that we failed. Someone was capable of putting a crane truck in the open in the streets of Paris, to have people walk up for a couple of minutes and take priceless jewels and give France a deplorable image.”

The robbery, which took just six to seven minutes, was reportedly carried out by unarmed individuals who nonetheless threatened museum guards using angle grinders. The case has been assigned to a specialized police unit known for successfully solving high-profile thefts.

In response to the incident, Nuñez and Dati announced a full security review at the Louvre and pledged increased protection at other cultural sites across the country. Dati criticized a long-standing oversight in museum security planning.

“For too long we have looked into the security of visitors but not the security of artworks,” she said. She also indicated that the government may bypass traditional public procurement procedures to fast-track enhanced security measures.

On October 20, a placard at the Louvre read: “The Louvre Museum will be closed today for exceptional reasons,” as investigations continued and police combed through footage and forensic evidence.

The audacious heist, which saw a major security breach at one of the most heavily visited cultural landmarks in the world, has ignited debate over how France protects its national treasures — and whether a systemic overhaul is long overdue.

By Vafa Guliyeva