Louvre gallery reopens with no jewellery after heist

The Louvre Museum in Paris has officially reopened its historic Apollo Gallery to the public following a nine-month closure. The space was shuttered after a brazen robbery occurred in October last year. During the heist, four individuals used a professional movers' lift to access the second-floor window, broke into display cases with angle grinders, and escaped on scooters within seven minutes.

While the architectural beauty of the gallery is available for viewing, visitors will not see the crown jewels previously housed there. The stolen items, valued at approximately $102 million, remain missing with the exception of a single damaged crown that was recovered near the building. Louvre director Christophe Leribault confirmed that any future displays of the jewels will take place in more secure locations elsewhere on the museum grounds.

This incident prompted significant scrutiny regarding the museum's security protocols. Former museum head Laurence des Cars resigned in February after facing criticism about the robbery and ongoing labor disputes over working conditions. State auditors have questioned the institution's spending priorities, noting that significant funds were directed toward new artwork acquisitions and post-pandemic projects while basic security and maintenance infrastructure suffered.

Culture Minister Catherine Pegard marked the reopening as a new start for the institution. She acknowledged the impact the theft had on the international community and promised a national effort to upgrade security standards across French museums to prevent future incidents.