Louvre prioritised art over security in years before heist, French report finds
Summary
A report by French auditors criticizes the Louvre Museum for prioritizing art acquisitions and exhibitions over security measures, which they say led to a significant jewel theft. The heist involved thieves stealing €88 million worth of jewels by breaking into the museum's Apollo Gallery during daylight. The report highlights that the museum spent more on artworks and exhibitions compared to security and maintenance from 2018 to 2024.Key Facts
- A French report criticized the Louvre for focusing more on art purchases and exhibitions than on security.
- Thieves stole €88 million worth of jewels from the Louvre's Apollo Gallery on October 19th.
- The museum spent €105.4 million on new artworks and €63.5 million on exhibitions during the studied years.
- In the same period, security and maintenance spending was only €26.7 million and €59.5 million, respectively.
- Culture Minister Rachida Dati stated the museum underestimated security risks.
- The Louvre's New Renaissance project was criticized for starting without complete feasibility or financial studies.
- The total anticipated cost of the New Renaissance project rose from €700 million to €1.15 billion.
- One of the suspects, a former guard with a background in petty crime, was connected to the heist.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.