The Louvre has transferred some of its most precious jewels to the Bank of France after a spectacular daylight heist exposed woeful flaws in the museum's security. On Friday, a secret police escort oversaw the transfer of some of the remaining jewels to the Bank, located just 500 meters (about 500 yards) from the museum. They will now be stored in the Bank's most secure vault, which is situated 26 meters (85 ft) below the ground floor of its elegant headquarters in central Paris. This vault, known as the 'Souterraine', not only accommodates 90% of France's gold reserves but also houses national treasures including the notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci, with an estimated total value of €600 million (£520 million).
The 'Souterraine' was designed to withstand various attacks, featuring a 50cm-thick, seven-tonne door made of flame-resistant concrete and reinforced with steel. Behind this secure entry, there is a 35-tonne rotating concrete turret that prevents any possibility of forced entry.
Last Sunday, masked thieves used an angle grinder to break into the Louvre's Gallery of Apollo, where France's crown jewels are displayed. In under eight minutes, they seized treasures including a necklace belonging to Empress Marie-Louise and a diadem of Empress Eugenie, worth approximately €88 million (£77 million). To gain access to the gallery, the thieves utilized a mechanical ladder mounted on a backtruck to elevate themselves to a first-floor balcony.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has expressed confidence in law enforcement's ability to capture the culprits. Despite government assurances of proper security measures, Louvre director Laurence des Cars admitted to the museum's aging infrastructure. In a recent address to French lawmakers, he disclosed that the sole security camera monitoring the exterior wall where the break-in occurred was misaligned, facing the wrong direction.
The 'Souterraine' was designed to withstand various attacks, featuring a 50cm-thick, seven-tonne door made of flame-resistant concrete and reinforced with steel. Behind this secure entry, there is a 35-tonne rotating concrete turret that prevents any possibility of forced entry.
Last Sunday, masked thieves used an angle grinder to break into the Louvre's Gallery of Apollo, where France's crown jewels are displayed. In under eight minutes, they seized treasures including a necklace belonging to Empress Marie-Louise and a diadem of Empress Eugenie, worth approximately €88 million (£77 million). To gain access to the gallery, the thieves utilized a mechanical ladder mounted on a backtruck to elevate themselves to a first-floor balcony.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has expressed confidence in law enforcement's ability to capture the culprits. Despite government assurances of proper security measures, Louvre director Laurence des Cars admitted to the museum's aging infrastructure. In a recent address to French lawmakers, he disclosed that the sole security camera monitoring the exterior wall where the break-in occurred was misaligned, facing the wrong direction.
