Louvre Security Cameras Did Record the Heist—But No One Was Watching

French investigators have uncovered a key oversight in the $102 million Louvre robbery: one of the museum’s security cameras did capture the thieves breaking in, despite earlier claims that no footage existed. The finding, shared during a Senate hearing, reveals wider failures in how the museum handled the break-in.

Back in October, Louvre director Laurence des Cars told senators that a badly positioned camera had missed the heist. Investigators have now clarified that two cameras were working in the area—and one recorded the entire entry. The problem was that the control room didn’t have enough monitors to display all camera feeds at once. Guards had to manually switch views, and when they finally pulled up the right feed—almost eight minutes after the heist began—the criminals were already escaping.

Another mistake cost crucial time: when the alarm sounded, museum staff gave police imprecise directions inside the Louvre’s long, narrow Apollo Gallery. As a result, officers rushed to the wrong side of the building and arrived just 30 seconds too late to catch the robbers.

Despite the missteps, investigators noted that alarms triggered instantly when the thieves entered, and security staff did act quickly to protect visitors.

All four members of the heist team have now been arrested. The most recent suspect, a 39-year-old believed to be one of the lookouts, was charged on November 28. Two others had scaled a balcony using a lift truck—an access point that a 2018 Van Cleef & Arpels audit had already flagged as a security risk.

Following the embarrassment, the Louvre announced an €80 million security overhaul, including a new Security Coordinator role, a security steering committee, and expanded staff training.

Des Cars, who became director in 2021, offered to resign after the heist, but officials refused. Investigators also revealed she had never been briefed on earlier audits warning of serious vulnerabilities. She has since been vocal about the museum’s deteriorating infrastructure—from leaks and poor insulation to overcrowding. After a major leak in November damaged hundreds of Egyptian archive documents, President Emmanuel Macron promised a €700 million renovation.