A Louvre Museum security guard who was present in the Apollo Gallery during Sunday's spectacular robbery described hearing an "enormous" and "totally unusual noise" during the brazen heist that shocked the art world. The guard, who wished to remain anonymous, provided a firsthand account of the dramatic events that unfolded at one of the world's most visited museums.
"It was a very peaceful Sunday," the guard recalled during an interview with France Inter radio, when "suddenly, we heard this enormous noise... totally unusual, a dull, somewhat metallic sound." The experienced security guard emphasized that "nobody can be prepared for something like that." She was positioned in the gallery alongside other employees when the intruders broke into the museum.
According to the guard's detailed account, she and her colleagues moved forward through the gallery after hearing the disturbing noise and initially spotted "two terrified female visitors." The situation quickly escalated when she witnessed "one of the criminals turn around with something that looked like a chainsaw to me." Realizing the immediate danger, she shouted to her colleagues to "get out," while one of them immediately raised the alarm using their walkie-talkie system, prompting the evacuation of all visitors from the affected area.
The sophisticated heist unfolded with remarkable speed and precision. Within just a few minutes, the criminals had penetrated the museum using a lift installed on the public street outside. They then used an angle grinder to break through a French door and subsequently smashed the display cases housing the precious jewels before fleeing with eight national treasures estimated to be worth 88 million euros (approximately $96 million). The brazen nature of the crime has led many to call it the "heist of the century."
Reflecting on the security measures, the guard admitted that "looking back, it would have seemed unthinkable to us that someone could break these display cases. We never thought for a second that there was such a risk." This candid assessment highlights the unprecedented nature of the attack on what were considered highly secure installations.
A private security agent who was also on duty that Sunday provided additional details about the criminals' escape on BFMTV. Arriving at the scene just as the thieves were fleeing on scooters, he noticed "a very strong smell of gasoline." His investigation revealed that "they had punctured their vehicle's gas tank. There was a blowtorch nearby and it's obvious they were planning to set their vehicle on fire" to destroy evidence. This security agent made a crucial discovery when he spotted an object that had fallen to the ground, telling police officers, "Look, there's something down there. It was Empress Eugénie's crown."
The precious crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, was found damaged after the criminals' hasty escape. This historical artifact, along with other recovered items, represents part of France's invaluable cultural heritage that the thieves attempted to steal from the nation.
Laurence des Cars, Director of the Louvre Museum, acknowledged certain flaws in the museum's exterior surveillance system during testimony before senators on Wednesday. However, she maintained that the security system within the Apollo Gallery itself had "functioned perfectly" during the incident. The admission has raised questions about the overall security infrastructure protecting the world's most visited museum and its priceless collections, while also highlighting the need for comprehensive security reviews at major cultural institutions worldwide.
