The Lourve, one of the most famous museums in the world, was robbed on Oct. 19. The theft occurred shortly after the museum opened its doors for the day, with thieves smashing two display cases and taking the items in broad daylight. Eight objects were taken: Empress Eugénie’s diadem and large corsage-bow brooch, a matching set of emerald earrings and necklace associated with Empress Marie-Louise, and a sapphire necklace, diadem, and single earring linked to the queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense. 

Once the display cases were broken, alarms notified security, who promptly arrived on the scene. Though the alarm forced the thieves to run, the theft was still successful. 

A report from AP News states that the thieves entered the museum by bringing a lift to the side facing the Seine and forcing a window open. This alone reveals a concern in the museum’s security: how was such a large piece of machinery able to approach the museum unchecked? 

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the incident as a “major robbery.” Nunez noted that the museum’s security had been improved in recent years with plans to expand protective measures, including perimeter detection, new-generation cameras, and a new security control room. However, some are saying these measures have come far too late, as the museum has reportedly struggled with understaffing and overcrowding, making the jobs of security guards increasingly challenging. While security measures around certain works of art are high-caliber — the Mona Lisa, for instance, being stored in a climate-controlled case and protected with bulletproof glass — this theft has revealed that security standards differ across the institution, placing further strain on security staff. 

The loss of these jewels represents more than a loss of valuables, but a loss of culture. According to NBC News, French President Emmanuel Macron referred to this robbery as “an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history.” 

The theft is not just “an attack” on culture and history, however. It is also a blow to the museum’s reputation. AP News refers to the incident as “a fresh embarrassment for a museum already under scrutiny,” and NBC News states that “the incident is being seen in some quarters as a national humiliation.” 

Reuters reports that French officials are “scrambling” to instill confidence regarding the security of cultural sites. Furthermore, the Culture and Interior Ministers hosted an emergency meeting to “immediately assess the existing security measures already in place around cultural institutions, and to strengthen them if necessary.”

As of reports on Oct. 20, the museum remains closed, adding financial repercussions to the list of losses resulting from this theft. 

Reuters spoke to Art Recovery International, an organization specializing in reclaiming stolen art. Christopher Marinello, the founder, states that most museums lack funding for proper security measures. 

“The Louvre is one of the most well funded museums in the world,” he said in a statement to Reuters. “And if they’re going to be hit, every museum is vulnerable.”