Louvre director admits 'insufficient' camera coverage after heist

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00:00La Présidente, vous confirmez bien que toutes les alarmes ont fonctionné ?

00:03Absolument.

00:04Est-ce que les vidéos ont également fonctionné ?

00:06Les vidéos ont fonctionné, absolument.

00:08Everything worked, and yet everything went wrong on Sunday at the Louvre.

00:13Thieves still managed to pull off a stunning heist at the world-famous museum,

00:17making off with an estimated 88 million euros in jewels, all in just seven minutes.

00:23Before French lawmakers, Louvre director Laurence Descartes had tough questions to answer.

00:28She pointed to a critical blind spot.

00:35The system is clearly very inadequate and does not cover all of the Louvre's facades.

00:39And unfortunately, on the side of the Apollo Gallery,

00:42the only camera installed is directed westward

00:45and therefore did not cover the balcony involved in the break-in.

00:50Descartes says the vulnerabilities were known and that she had called for action years ago.

00:55Upon my arrival, I immediately requested a full security equipment assessment in 2021.

01:02Strengthening perimeter protection is part of the master security plan,

01:06which includes complete video surveillance, coverage of all facades.

01:10As the investigation continues, so does the political fallout.

01:15France's culture minister is standing by Descartes, rejecting her offer to resign.

01:19President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, is demanding faster progress be made to secure the Louvre.

01:25The museum has reopened its doors without its crown jewels.

01:29The search for them continues.

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