Louvre issued with stark warning just weeks before $102m jewel heist

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"Weeks before a daring $102m jewels heist rocked the Louvre Museum, France's court of auditors had already issued a stark warning, urging the world's most-visited museum to urgently accelerate its long-delayed security modernisation plans. The report, published on Thursday by the Cour des Comptes, follows a series of security failings that came to light after the 19 October robbery. Thieves used a truck-mounted basket lift to access a window of the Apollo Gallery, escaping with the Crown Jewels within minutes."

"The audit, which focused on the period between 2018 and 2024, found that the museum's investments had prioritised "visible and attractive operations" such as acquiring new art pieces and enhancing visitor experience. This was "at the expense of the maintenance and renovation of buildings and technical installations, particularly safety and security systems," the report stated. Despite a security equipment modernisation plan being under consideration since 2018, its implementation faced repeated delays."

The Independent seeks donations to fund on-the-ground reporting, investigatory projects like probing Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC, and documentaries such as 'The A Word'. The news outlet emphasizes keeping journalism free from paywalls so reporting remains accessible and funded by supporters. France's Cour des Comptes warned weeks before a $102m Crown Jewels heist that the Louvre needed to accelerate long-delayed security modernisation. The audit covering 2018–2024 found investments favoured visible operations over maintenance and security. Thieves used a truck-mounted basket lift to access the Apollo Gallery and escaped with the Crown Jewels within minutes. A planned modernisation faced repeated delays.

Read at www.independent.co.uk