“It’s a bit disappointing, especially if we don’t find the jewels”: Tourists Dismayed After the Louvre Robbery
Visitors were evacuated, and the museum will remain closed on Sunday. The thieves remain at large.
The incredible robbery at the Louvre Museum reveals security flaws that endanger a priceless heritage site. Editorial by Laurence Voyer, editor-in-chief of Le Parisien-Aujourd’hui en France
We could always say that zero risk doesn’t exist. That it’s impossible to put a police officer in front of every painting. We could even add that the thieves were very well prepared, with locations carefully identified.
But it’s clear that, in broad daylight, on the banks of the Seine and in plain sight, it took a handful of men only a few minutes to steal extremely rare jewels.
Nothing less than the French crown jewels. A priceless national treasure, supposedly safe from greed in the prestigious Apollo Gallery, inside the world’s largest museum. Some pieces risk being lost forever, perhaps melted down or sold in pieces.
“It’s a bit disappointing, especially if we don’t find the jewels”: Tourists dismayed after the Louvre robbery
Visitors were evacuated, and the museum will remain closed on Sunday. The thieves remain at large.
The entire world is wondering how such a massive theft could have happened. The Louvre Museum in Paris was robbed on Sunday, October 19. Around 9:30 a.m., criminals stole jewels from the Apollo Gallery. They used a lifting platform to reach the palace’s windows and smashed the display cases with angle grinders.
On-site, many visitors encounter locked Louvre ticket office doors or barriers installed at the end of the Tuileries Garden. Police call tourists to inform them that the museum is “closed” today. Many French people are also present on this first weekend of the All Saints’ Day holiday.
A large security perimeter has been set up.
Among the disappointed visitors, dejected behind the barriers, a tourist from Quebec: “It was our day to visit the Louvre. We’re leaving the day after tomorrow, so we might not be able to come back.” “What a shame!” sighs the young man.
“What they told us was that there was a robbery,” continued the tourist. “It’s surprising because it gives the impression that a museum of such value is particularly secure, whether it’s the stained-glass windows, for example, or the entrances.”
It’s a little sad. Especially since the Louvre has lost valuable objects that can never be recovered. It’s even more serious.
Nathan, a tourist
A little further on, Anna is content with outdoor photos, selfies with the pyramid in the background. She comes from Great Britain: “We were planning to visit the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and the other works. Then we realized there were a lot of police. We were wondering what was going on,” says the British woman. “On the news, we read that there had been a robbery this morning. We were shocked, but also upset. It’s our last day in Paris; unfortunately, we had bought our tickets in advance… maybe we’ll come back someday,” says the young woman.
On site, and since this morning, the police have been there. She also handles logistical issues: “The police told us to go to the Louvre website for ticket refunds,” says Anna.
“I hope everything goes well and they find the thieves.”
Anna, British tourist
A robbery of this magnitude is unprecedented at the world’s largest museum. This obviously raises questions about the Louvre’s security, at a time when criminals are making museums a new target. While in recent months they have primarily targeted smaller establishments, this time they have pushed the boundaries by robbing the Louvre.
