No surveillance camera monitored the Louvre wall at the point where jewel robbers infiltrated, the director states.

The Louvre was unable to detect a group of thieves in time to prevent the robbery of French crown jewels valued at €88m (£76m), according to the museum’s director.

Laurence des Cars remarked publicly for the first time since the robbery on Sunday, informing French senators that the CCTV coverage around the Louvre’s perimeter was insufficient and “aging”.

She stated that the sole camera monitoring the exterior wall of the Louvre where the break-in occurred was directed away from the first-floor balcony leading to the Gallery of Apollo, which housed the jewels.

“We have let these jewels down,” she remarked, noting that no one was safe from “violent criminals – not even the Louvre”.

Ministers have conducted press conferences and interviews denying security lapses, but des Cars stood firm and acknowledged that the Louvre had been “defeated”.

Her remarks provided a remarkable understanding of the challenges in securing the world’s most frequented museum, and highlighted the dire state of its security.

The CCTV system outside the Louvre, she asserted, was “very inadequate,” while certain internal areas were too outdated to accommodate modern technology.

Despite the large number of visitors – 8.7 million in the past year – funding for security has been sluggish, and she pointed out the financial obstacles large institutions encounter.

Des Cars, who assumed the role of director at the Louvre in 2021, expressed her desire to double the number of CCTV cameras.

She mentioned that she was cautioned about how “outdated” the equipment at the Louvre was when she accepted the position, unlike the contemporary technology at the Musée d’Orsay, where she had previously worked.

Some senators present at Wednesday’s hearing voiced disbelief at the security measures at the Louvre, questioning why there was only one camera – on the river-facing external wall – and why it was directed incorrectly.

This single flaw resulted in the truck carrying the crew and their mechanical ladder, used to access the gallery’s first floor, not being observed as it approached the base of the Gallery of Apollo.

“There is a vulnerability at the Louvre, and I fully admit it,” des Cars informed the senators.

She commended the security personnel who acted promptly to clear the building upon realizing there had been an intrusion, but acknowledged: “We did not detect the thieves’ arrival soon enough… the flaws in our perimeter protection are acknowledged.”

The museum resumed operations on Wednesday, but the gallery remained closed.

The Louvre houses invaluable artworks, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.

A search is ongoing for the four individuals who, within a span of less than 10 minutes last Sunday morning, infiltrated one of the world’s most renowned museums. They absconded with eight highly valued pieces of jewelry, including a diamond and emerald necklace bestowed upon his wife by Emperor Napoleon.

In their escape, they left behind a 19th-Century diamond-encrusted crown that belonged to Empress Eugenie. Although it was retrieved, the crown sustained damage, and Laurence des Cars informed the senators that it likely suffered harm while the thieves pried it from its display.

“Preliminary evaluations indicate that a meticulous restoration is feasible,” stated des Cars.

Some issues the director highlighted during the hearing included reductions in surveillance and security personnel over the last decade and deteriorating infrastructure that could not support the latest video technologies.

The director hopes that efforts to enhance security will commence at the beginning of 2026.

However, it is anticipated to be challenging due to the aging infrastructure of what was formerly a royal palace.

Des Cars mentioned she had submitted her resignation to the culture ministry following the heist but was declined. She conveyed to the senators that she had been voicing concerns regarding the state of the Louvre for a considerable period.

She became passionate, even offended, as she defended herself against media claims that she prioritized her own comfort over safeguarding the Louvre and its historic collections.

“I am distressed as chair and director that the warnings I raised, in a sense as a whistle-blower, came to fruition last Sunday.

“We have experienced a significant failure at the Louvre. I’ve accepted accountability for it,” she declared.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez expressed to France’s Europe1 radio on Wednesday that he possessed “complete confidence” that the thieves would be apprehended.

Prosecutors have stated their belief that the robbers operated under directives from a criminal organization.