France Still Struggles To Find Stolen Louvre Museum Collection

Louvre Museum, Paris/ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Guillaume Meurice

JAKARTA - Authorities are still grappling with efforts to restore the collection of missing Louvre museums stolen. Seven people arrested are still being investigated for the theft that caused the commotion.

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati stressed the chronic structural awareness of the risk of infiltration and theft, leaving the Louvre Museum vulnerable for more than 20 years to similar thefts experienced by museums this month.

The security gap contributed to a blatant robbery in broad daylight on October 19, in which four heads-backed thieves took away eight valuables worth 102 million from the Apollo museum Gallery, home to the French Crown Permata.

"The initial report of the theft found inadequate safety equipment, poor organizations, and outdated protocols in the museum," Dati told TF1 TV.

"The installed devices, alarms and security devices installed on the day of the theft at the Louvre Museum, are functioning well, but that's not enough to prevent a robbery because security is "not a priority"," Dati said.

He said the museum would implement additional security by the end of the year, including anti-intrusion devices and vehicle anti-collision barriers on surrounding public roads.

Louvre director Juli des Cars told senators last week he had submitted his resignation after the theft, but Dati refused.

Des Cars expressed his "disappointment and surprise" at the condition of the Louvre, the most visited museum in the world, when he moved from Musee d'Orsay home to French Presidential artists "there."

Seven suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the robbery, but not a single stolen gem has been found.