The Louvre after the great robbery. The most valuable jewels went to the Bank of France

French radio RTL reported that the Louvre had transferred some of its most valuable jewels to the Bank of France after the theft of royal jewelry last Sunday. According to the radio station, the jewels were transported on Friday under a motorized police escort.

Neither the Bank of France nor the Louvre commented on reports about the transfer of the jewels, which were reported by the radio station on Friday evening. According to RTL, the Bank of France received jewels from the Apollo Gallery – the site of the daring burglary of the Louvre on October 19, when eight exhibits were stolen. It was in the Apollo Gallery that the crown jewels of French rulers were kept, as well as three famous diamonds: Regent, Sancy and Hortensia.

RTL notes that the museum authorities now seem to have decided to minimize the risk to zero, expecting further criticism regarding the shortcomings in the Louvre's collection security system.

The radio station noted that the jewels did not travel far because the safes of the Bank of France are located a few hundred meters from the Louvre. The Bank of France holds 90 percent. French gold reserves. Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks, whose value is estimated at EUR 600 million, have also been stored there for several years.

The brazen robbery at the Louvre is being investigated by the Anti-Banditry Brigade (BRB) and the Office for Combating the Smuggling of Cultural Objects (OCBC). So far, experts have collected on site – according to the Paris prosecutor's office – over 150 traces, such as prints and DNA samples. The thieves lost one of the items while escaping.

From Paris Anna Wróbel (PAP)

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