Louvre director admits security failures, proposes new measures

PARIS - Louvre Museum Director Laurence des Cars on Wednesday admitted failures in the museum's external surveillance system and announced a series of new security measures.

Appearing before the French Senate, des Cars said the museum's external CCTV coverage was insufficient and that Sunday's jewelry theft had exposed several "weak points".

"We are facing a terrible failure at the Louvre, for which I take my share of responsibility," she said, adding that she had offered her resignation, but the culture minister declined the offer.

Des Cars outlined several measures to enhance security, including reinforcing perimeter protection with anti-vehicle barriers, expanding and upgrading surveillance systems across the museum complex, and requesting the Interior Ministry to set up a police station inside the museum.

Meanwhile, she defended the museum's existing 80-million-euro (92.89 million US dollars) security plan, rejecting a recent report that cited "persistent delays" in the implementation of the plan.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an acceleration of the Louvre's security upgrades during Wednesday's cabinet meeting.

The museum reopened to visitors on Wednesday morning, three days after the spectacular theft of jewelry estimated at about 88 million euros (102 million US dollars).