A month after the daring theft of more than $100 million in jewels from the Louvre, museum officials announced that they will install roughly 100 new surveillance cameras and other security enhancements. Laurence des Cars, the director of the Louvre, also revealed new details Wednesday about how robbers were able to gain access to the display cases holding the jewels.
Authorities still have not recovered the stolen jewels.
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Timeline for camera installation
Des Cars said the cameras should be up and running within two weeks. She said the added surveillance equipment will help stop intruders from getting near the museum and protect the surrounding area. She did not offer specifics.
According to the director, the cameras are part of more than 20 new security measures that will be adopted, including the creation of a security coordinator position, which was posted this month.
New details on heist revealed
On Oct. 19, it took thieves just minutes to enter through a window in the Apollo Gallery by way of a freight lift and steal jewels valued at $102 million.
Des Cars revealed for the first time Wednesday that the robbers used disc cutters designed to cut concrete to slice through the display cases.
“It’s a method that had not been imagined at all,” she said. The display cases were replaced in 2019, she said, and were designed mainly to protect against damage from weapons.
Des Cars said that video from museum cameras showed the display cases “held up remarkably well and did not break apart.”
“Videos show how difficult it was for the thieves,” she added.
Security concerns in wake of heist
Arrests have been made in connection with the high-profile break-in, but the brazen robbery has raised concerns about lapses in security by the museum. For instance, the password to access security cameras was simply “Louvre.”
Des Cars emphasized that security enhancements are also part of a decade-long renovation effort the Louvre announced earlier this year.
The modernization includes infrastructure improvements as well as a specific room dedicated to the Mona Lisa. Louvre officials want to alleviate overcrowding that has reportedly caused damage throughout the museum.
The Louvre temporarily closed a gallery and some employees offices on Monday due to structural concerns.
