Former thief warned Louvre of security flaws before heist

PARIS

Just days after thieves stole eight French crown jewels from the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery in a lightning-fast heist, a former burglar says he had long warned the museum of glaring security flaws, including display cases near accessible windows that were “a piece of cake” to attack.

David Desclos, a reformed bank robber once known for disabling alarm systems, told The Associated Press that he alerted a museum official years ago after being invited to record a 2020 in-house podcast about a historic 1792 theft. “Have you seen those windows?” he recalled telling them. “You can imagine people in disguise slipping in through them. There are plenty of ways in.”

On Oct. 26, police say two thieves in high-visibility jackets smashed through one of those windows, cut open cases with power tools and escaped within minutes. Eight pieces, reportedly worth over $100 million, vanished; a ninth, Empress Eugénie’s diamond crown, was found outside, damaged but recoverable. Two suspects have been detained, while others remain at large.

Desclos said the burglars followed the script he once outlined: “They came by the windows, they took, and they left. Do it in broad daylight — that disables the first alarm layer. You’ve got five to seven minutes before police arrive.”

He also criticized a 2019 redesign of the gallery cases, saying older versions allowed treasures to drop to safety during an attack. “Now the jewels are within arm’s reach. You’re making it easier for burglars,” he said. The Louvre defended its newer vitrines as more secure and compliant with modern standards.

Authorities are now facing growing scrutiny over museum safety. Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure is expected to address the Senate this week amid broader concerns about crowding, staffing shortages and strained conditions at the world’s most-visited museum.

Desclos, who has reinvented himself as a comedian with a show based on his criminal past, denied any connection to the heist but offered blunt advice: “The real jewels should be in the Banque de France.” French media say remaining crown jewels have indeed been transferred there for safekeeping.

“They should have listened,” Desclos said.