The head of the Louvre museum in Paris has stepped down four months after a group of thieves stole jewels worth millions in a bold daytime heist.
French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Laurence des Cars on Feb. 24 and praised the “act of responsibility at a time when the world’s largest museum needs calm and a strong new impetus to successfully carry out major projects involving security and modernization,” his office said in a statement.
Des Cars, the first female president-director of the Louvre, was appointed by Macron in 2021 after working at the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie and overseeing the creation of Louvre Abu Dhabi, the museum has said. When asked for comment, a spokesperson for the museum directed USA TODAY to Macron’s statement.
Des Cars has faced intense scrutiny over security lapses since thieves broke into the Louvre in October and stole French crown jewels worth an estimated $102.63 million. Investigators have yet to locate the eight stolen pieces, and some French officials have called the incident a national humiliation.
Des Cars has acknowledged that the museum’s cameras failed to spot the burglars and that there were not enough cameras monitoring the building’s perimeter. French officials promised the Louvre would introduce additional security measures, including anti-intrusion devices and anti-vehicle ramming barriers on nearby public roads, in the wake of the heist.
In November, the Louvre announced it would install 100 external cameras by the end of 2026 as part of measures to tighten security. Des Cars said the museum would also establish an “advanced police station within the Louvre’s estate.”
In addition to the security improvements, the museum is also working to restore the crown of Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, who ruled France in the 19th century, which was damaged and left behind by the thieves as they made their escape. The Louvre released the first photos of the deformed crown earlier in February.
Des Cars’ resignation comes after the museum has also faced closures due to strikes over pay and conditions since December, two water leaks and a massive ticket fraud investigation.
Contributing: Reuters; Thao Nguyen