Three weeks after a daring daylight robbery saw €88m worth of crown jewels stolen from the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery, France’s prestigious museum is facing harsh criticism for neglecting security. A Court of Auditors report — completed before the heist — revealed that museum management prioritized new acquisitions and exhibitions over essential safety upgrades, despite repeated warnings. Culture Minister Rachida Dati and art experts have accused the Louvre of underestimating the threat and mismanaging funds intended to protect priceless heritage.
The report found that between 2018 and 2024, the museum invested more than €105m in new artworks and €63m in exhibition spaces, while spending far less on maintenance and security systems. These findings have cast doubt on the museum’s ambitious New Renaissance project, which includes a new entrance and a separate gallery for the Mona Lisa. Already over budget — rising from €700m to €1.15bn — the initiative is now being questioned for lacking proper feasibility and financial planning.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the theft continues, with four suspects arrested and the stolen jewels still missing. Among those detained is 39-year-old Abdoulaye N, a former Pompidou Centre guard known locally for viral motocross stunts, who reportedly did not even realise he was breaking into the Louvre. Authorities believe the suspects may have been petty criminals hired by a wealthier mastermind, making security lapses at the world’s most visited museum an even more alarming concern.
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