French investigators have revealed that security cameras at the Louvre did capture the $102 million jewelry heist on October 19, 2025, contradicting earlier claims by museum director Laurence des Cars that no video existed. The footage was discovered during a Senate hearing on December 10, showing that the control room lacked enough screens to monitor all cameras simultaneously, so guards did not see the break-in in real time. By the time they switched to the relevant feed, nearly eight minutes later, the thieves had already escaped. The investigation also found that security guards and police arrived just 30 seconds too late because staff miscommunicated the exact location of the break-in within the Apollo Gallery. All four members of the heist commando group have been arrested.
The revelations expose deep systemic failures in security at the world's most visited museum, despite previous audits flagging vulnerabilities—including a 2018 report by jeweler Van Cleef and Arpels that warned about the very balcony used in the heist. The Louvre has announced an €80 million ($92 million) master plan to improve security, including a new Security Coordinator position, a steering committee, and a 20 percent increase in training budgets. Des Cars, who offered to resign after the heist, was refused by the museum board and state authorities. The case underscores how even the most prestigious cultural institutions can be compromised by outdated infrastructure and human error, raising urgent questions about museum security worldwide.