Louvre tightens safety after crown jewel heist, installs bars on notorious window

A crane was stationed exterior the Louvre Museum in Paris on Tuesday — however this time it wasn’t being utilized by jewel thieves stealing among the nation’s historic treasures.

As a substitute, the machine was operated by upkeep employees in safety helmets and high-visibility vests as a crew put in metallic bars to the now-infamous second ground window.

A workforce of thieves posing as employees used a basket elevate to interrupt in by means of that window on Oct. 19. The robbers entered the museum’s Apollo Gallery and smashed open show circumstances to steal 9 items of bijou. All 4 suspected thieves have been arrested and charged, however not one of the jewels have been recovered apart from a crown that was dropped because the group escaped. 

The theft uncovered safety lapses on the world’s most-visited museum. A current safety audit discovered that 35% of the rooms within the Denon Wing, the place the stolen jewels had been displayed, should not monitored by safety cameras, based on Radio France. The gems had been additionally not privately insured, in accordance with French legislation.

Different safety upgrades are coming, the museum’s director stated in November. Set up of recent anti-intrusion methods was set to start by early December, whereas greater than 100 new cameras are anticipated to be up and operating by the top of 2026, CBS Information beforehand reported. 

The Louvre did not publicly touch upon Tuesday’s safety operation. Samuel Lasnel of upkeep elevate firm Grima-Nacelles stated he and his crew arrived earlier than daybreak Tuesday to hold out the high-profile window-securing task.

“We’ve already labored on the Louvre — on the inside, on the outside, inside and outdoors the pyramid — we have been right here a number of occasions,” he informed The Related Press. “The Louvre is aware of us properly.”