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Topics: World News, News, Europe, Technology, Crime, Money
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: World News, News, Europe, Technology, Crime, Money
It's been a few weeks now since the Louvre heist shocked the world.
The seven-minute strike took place on 19th October in broad daylight, with the thieves, who everyone aptly dressed up as for Halloween, breaking into the Parisian tourist hotspot,
while visitors were inside before taking off with jewels of 'inestimable value'.
The thieves in question used a basket lift to gain access into the art museum, which can draw up to 30,000 visitors a day, forced a window and smashed display cases before escaping on two-wheelers, according to the interior ministry.
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The heist occurred around 9:30 am local time in the Galerie d’Apollon, a vaulted hall in the Denon wing that displays part of the French crown jewels beneath a ceiling painted by King Louis XIV’s court artist, according to the ministry.
Obviously, a crime is a crime, but people were fascinated by how the thieves were able to pull the heist off with just their bare hands - instead of something more modern like a crypto scam.
And now, according to reports from French outlet Libération, among others, the Louvre' allegedly 'protected' its security systems with a password, and it’s worse than you think.
Yep, the world’s most prestigious museum, which contains priceless artworks like the Mona Lisa, was apparently none other than 'LOUVRE'.
The outlet reports that the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) attended the Louvre in 2014 to carry out security checks.
It was then that they reportedly picked up on the weak password, encouraging the museum to create more complex passwords.
Unsurprisingly, it's not taken long for the internet to catch light of the major mishap.
"Password to louvre surveillance server upgraded to 'louvre1,'" joked one social media user.
Another chimed in: "Way too short for security. Should have used 'LouvreMuseumParis.'"
"If you feel like you're bad at your job and it's making you depressed, just consider that, as the investigation of the recent heist revealed, the password to access the Louvre's video surveillance system was 'Louvre,'" offered a third.
So, the four suspects simply donned high-visibility vests before rolling up in a truck with a mechanical ladder and use power tools to break into the second-floor gallery before disappearing into Paris traffic minutes later, when all they had to do with type the museum’s own name to gain access to the museum security system.
The thieves reportedly took nine pieces from the jewellery collection of Napoleon and the empress, worth over $102 million, which included:
Additionally, the crown of Empress Eugénie was also taken but later found broken outside the museum - so while it was removed, it was recovered, and is not officially counted as one of the 'missing' eight items.
Tyla has reached out to the Louvre for comment.