France’s Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin admitted to security flaws that allowed robbers to steal imperial jewels from the Louvre in broad daylight, telling France Inter radio
What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels and give France a terrible image.
On the morning of October 19th, thousands of tourists were unable to enter the world-famous Louvre Museum as the building was cordoned off by security forces. Later, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati announced that the museum had been robbed. The perpetrators apparently took advantage of ongoing renovation work at the museum, entering using one of the basket lifts.
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, jewellery stolen from the Napoleon collection—including a brooch, a necklace and a tiara—was “priceless.” Nuñez told French news outlets that “three or four” thieves had focused on two displays in the exhibition venue’s Gallerie d’Apollon, completing their broad daylight robbery in just seven minutes.
