Louvre museum director resigns months after high-profile heist
BBC World
February 24, 2026
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Laurence des Cars, director of the Louvre Museum in Paris, has resigned following a high-profile heist that occurred months ago. Her resignation was submitted to President Emmanuel Macron, who described it as "an act of responsibility." The heist took place on October 19 last year when thieves used a stolen vehicle-mounted lift to gain access to the Galerie d'Apollon through a balcony near the Seine River. Among the items stolen were eight prized jewels, including a diamond and emerald necklace given by Napoleon to his wife, as well as a crown belonging to Empress Eugenie, which was later damaged when it was dropped during the escape.
The thieves’ sophisticated method and the subsequent failure to recover any of the stolen jewelry have raised significant concerns about security at one of the world’s most visited museums. While four suspects were arrested, the missing jewels remain unrecovered. The Louvre has faced criticism for its aging CCTV system, which lacked coverage in critical areas and pointed away from the gallery where the break-in occurred. Despite the museum’s annual visitor count exceeding 8.7 million, security improvements have been slow, highlighting budget challenges faced by cultural institutions.
Des Cars, who took over as director in 2021, had aimed to double the number of CCTV cameras at the
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Originally published on BBC World on 2/24/2026