Louvre director resigns four months after shocking jewelry heist at the museum
NBC News • • world
Key Points:
- Laurence des Cars resigned as head of the Louvre Museum following a $102 million jewel heist that exposed significant security lapses, with French President Emmanuel Macron accepting her resignation as a move to restore stability and drive modernization efforts.
- The daylight robbery involved four thieves bypassing security and using power tools to steal priceless jewels once owned by French royalty; several suspects were arrested but the stolen items remain missing.
- Des Cars, who led the museum since 2021 during a challenging period including the pandemic recovery and return of tourism, described her resignation as a responsible response to the crisis.
- The Louvre has faced multiple recent challenges, including damage to Egyptian antiquities from flooding, a worker strike over conditions, and a long-running ticket fraud scheme involving tour guides
