Louvre Burglary Probe Advances Amid Security Staff Shortage Dispute

The investigation into the spectacular burglary at the Louvre continues to develop, revealing challenges in both security staffing and internal complicity suspicions. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that fingerprint analyses are underway, aiming to link four identified suspects to the crime scene. While she hinted at possible accomplices, including internal museum involvement, she refrained from confirmation at this stage. The thieves obtained the specialized lift vehicle used for the heist through a fake rental agreement, during which threatening behavior towards a rental company employee was reported. Around 100 investigators from the interregional specialized jurisdiction of the Paris prosecutor’s office are currently overseeing this case.

Parallel to the inquiry, the Louvre’s employee unions have escalated their demands for increased security staffing and enhanced surveillance after the theft of nine imperial jewels from the Apollo Gallery. The CGT union reported the loss of more than 200 positions over the past 15 years, including a drop in security guards from 1,285 in 2023 to 1,167 in 2024, despite the museum hosting nearly 9 million visitors last year. During the incident, merely five guards were present in the affected gallery, adhering to protocols focused on evacuating visitors and notifying security rather than physically confronting intruders.

Unions criticized the Ministry of Culture for underfunding security roles amid cultural budget cuts, with the SUD union denouncing the allocation of resources toward non-essential activities. Despite considerable praise from Culture Minister Rachida Dati for the guards' response, she remains opposed to increasing the security budget, advocating for a balance between human presence and technological measures such as security cameras. The unions’ call for more jobs in the 2026 budget faces resistance amid a projected €300 million reduction in cultural funding. Visitors continue to experience restricted access, with around 8% of museum rooms often kept closed.

With the Louvre’s leadership under scrutiny, including President Laurence des Cars recently questioned at the Senate, this case underscores a critical tension between ensuring public safety and managing financial constraints within France’s premier cultural institution.