Interior Minister Opposes Police Station Inside Louvre Following Crown Jewels Theft
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez rejects the installation of a police station inside the Louvre following the October 2025 crown jewels theft, emphasizing existing security and expanding investigations.
- • Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez opposes installing a police station inside the Louvre despite high-profile theft.
- • Eight crown jewels worth about 88 million euros were stolen in a daylight heist on October 19, 2025.
- • Investigation staff has grown from 60 to over 100 officers focusing on cultural property trafficking and banditry units.
- • Culture Minister Rachida Dati announced a safety fund for cultural sites and initiated an administrative inquiry into the theft.
Key details
In the wake of the high-profile theft of eight crown jewels valued at approximately 88 million euros from the Louvre on October 19, 2025, a heated security debate has emerged around the museum. Laurent Nuñez, the French Minister of the Interior, has firmly opposed the proposal to install a police station within the Louvre, a suggestion made by museum director Laurence des Cars aiming to enhance security after the brazen daylight heist. Nuñez argued that such a move would set a precedent for similar requests across France and insisted the nearby existing police station was sufficient, emphasizing the rapid police response which occurred within three minutes of the alarm being raised.
The theft itself was executed in just seven to eight minutes by two thieves who accessed the Galerie d’Apollon—home to the crown jewels—via a lift and broke a window before escaping on powerful scooters. The incident exposed significant security vulnerabilities, prompting an escalation in the ongoing investigation that now involves over 100 officers, including those from the Brigade for the Repression of Banditry and the Central Office for the Fight Against Cultural Property Trafficking.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati has launched an administrative inquiry into the security failures and announced the creation of a dedicated safety fund for cultural heritage sites, supported by an anticipated amendment to the financial law proposed by Deputy Jérémie Patrier-Leitus. Despite the loss, the heist has unexpectedly heightened global awareness of France’s crown jewels, drawing comparisons to the 1911 Mona Lisa theft, and even increasing public curiosity, as the Louvre continues to attract about 33,000 visitors daily.
Laurence des Cars acknowledged "significant security failures" that allowed the theft, while Nuñez described the loss as "immeasurable" to French heritage. Discussions on improving museum security remain a focal point, with officials balancing the need for protection against practical considerations about policing within cultural spaces.