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Louvre Director Orders Immediate Security Overhaul After Jewel Heist

The pledge follows a watchdog report faulting years of underinvestment in protection.

Overview

  • Three men and one woman remain in pretrial detention as at least one suspect is still sought, with prosecutors describing those held as small-time criminals.
  • The eight stolen crown-jewelry pieces, valued at about €88 million, have not been recovered, and officials say the haul may have been moved abroad.
  • Past audits cited basic vulnerabilities such as trivial passwords like “Louvre” and “Thales” and reliance on obsolete systems including Windows Server 2003 and the Thales Sathi platform.
  • The Cour des comptes found roughly €3 million spent on technical security since 2018 against about €83 million needed, while art acquisitions exceeded €100 million.
  • French media identify 39-year-old Abdoulaye N. as a prime suspect, reporting a DNA link to a display case and an indictment in the case.