Louvre Transfers Priceless Jewels to Bank of France Following High-Profile Heist
After a high-profile jewel heist at the Louvre, the museum moves its precious jewels to the secure vaults of the Bank of France amid security concerns.
- • Priceless jewels stolen from Louvre's Gallery of Apollo in an eight-minute heist.
- • Jewels valued between €88 million and $102 million transferred to Bank of France vault.
- • Bank of France vault located 26-27 meters underground, securing national treasures.
- • Louvre director acknowledges security flaws, including improperly positioned cameras.
- • The transfer was executed under police escort due to heightened security concerns.
Key details
In the wake of a daring daylight heist at the Louvre on October 19, the museum has taken decisive steps to safeguard its most treasured jewels by transferring them to the Bank of France's ultra-secure vaults. The robbery, lasting just eight minutes, saw thieves steal eight precious items valued between €88 million and $102 million, including a necklace of Empress Marie-Louise and a diadem of Empress Eugenie from the Gallery of Apollo.
The jewels are now housed in the Bank of France's 'Souterraine' vault, located approximately 26 to 27 meters underground, just 500 meters from the museum. This vault is designed to protect national treasures and holds 90% of France's gold reserves, providing far greater security than the Louvre could offer.
The transfer occurred under police escort amid mounting concerns about the museum's aging security infrastructure. Louvre director Laurence des Cars admitted that vulnerabilities were exposed by the incident, highlighting that the security camera monitoring the break-in area was incorrectly positioned. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez expressed confidence that the perpetrators would be apprehended soon.
The heist, which used a crane to breach the museum during visiting hours, has sparked a significant reassessment of museum security protocols. Both the Louvre and Bank of France have remained discreet about the transfer details, emphasizing the sensitivity of the operation and ongoing investigations.