Ex-Thief Says He Warned Louvre of Security Weaknesses Around Crown Jewels

French police officers seal off the entrance to the Louvre Museum after a robbery in Paris, France, on October 19, 2025. Robbers break into the Louvre and flee with jewelry on the morning of October 19, 2025, a source close to the case says, adding that its value is still being evaluated. A police source says an unknown number of thieves arrive on a scooter armed with small chainsaws and use a goods lift to reach the room they are targeting. (Photo by Jerome Gilles/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

PARIS (AP) — Days after eight pieces of the French crown jewels were stolen from the Louvre, a former bank robber who once toured the now-infamous Apollo Gallery for a Louvre podcast says he warned a museum official of weaknesses in security. David Desclos, a reformed career burglar, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he warned a Louvre representative years ago that the Apollo Gallery’s street-facing windows and nearby vitrines left treasures exposed to anyone bold enough to climb in. The robbery has led to increased scrutiny and questions about museum security.