France's public spending watchdog on Thursday criticized chronic underinvestment in the Louvre's security systems after the high-profile theft of crown jewels last month.

The report had been planned long before the robbery — but its timing has exposed deep governance flaws at the world's most-visited museum.

Auditor condemns 'woefully inadequate' security upgrades

France's "Cour des Comptes," which oversees the use of public funds, denounced what it calls years of neglect in the Louvre's safety infrastructure.

"The theft of the Crown Jewels is, without a doubt, a deafening wake-up call regarding the woefully inadequate pace" of security equipment upgrades at the museum, said Pierre Moscovici, president of the French audit court.

The Louvre Museum "has prioritized visible and attractive projects at the expense of the maintenance and renovation of buildings and technical installations, particularly those related to safety and security," said auditors, who were examining the museum's management between 2018 and 2024.

The criticism comes three weeks after thieves stole royal and imperial jewels worth an estimated €88 million ($102 million) from the museum's Galerie d'Apollon, using a lift truck to reach a window and flee with the treasures.

What can be learned from the Louvre theft?

The report warned that, despite "abundant resources," the institution faces an investment backlog it cannot currently fund.

Museum management said it accepted most recommendations but argued the audit "overlooks" recent upgrades already underway.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati last week said the theft revealed a "major security failure" and ordered new anti-intrusion barriers and a restructuring of the museum's governance  — including a dedicated security directorate.

The Louvre board is due to meet on Friday in an emergency session, while four suspects remain in custody and the missing jewels have yet to be recovered.

The thieves made off with eight items of jewelery. They included an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise.

However, as they escaped, the thieves dropped a diamond- and emerald-studded crown that once belonged to Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie.

Edited by: Zac Crellin