PARIS, Nov 19, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The embattled boss of France's Louvre Museum on Wednesday promised more police and security cameras to prevent future thefts following last month's brazen jewel heist that has undermined her leadership.

Appearing before MPs, Laurence des Cars announced the new security measures while also acknowledging criticism for the October 19 daytime raid on the world's most-visited art museum.

"I acknowledge responsibility for the failure represented by the theft on October 19th," she said. "It is an immense wound that has been inflicted upon us. I feel it deeply."

Following a meeting with the head of the Paris police department, she said around 20 "emergency" measures would be introduced, including officers being based "inside the Louvre" and 100 new security cameras around the museum.

The loss of priceless jewels worth more than $102 million, which have not been recovered, highlighted insufficient CCTV coverage and the inability of police to quickly reach areas of the vast former royal palace.

Its security challenges were further highlighted last week when two Belgian TikTok pranksters pinned their own portrait next to the Mona Lisa without being stopped by museum officials.

"We constantly have incidents in the rooms of the Louvre," the museum's director told lawmakers, while insisting her staff remained "vigilant".

- 'Not a good state' -

Adding to its current woes, the Louvre announced the temporary closure on Monday of one of its galleries due to safety concerns over the ceiling.

The incident underlined the dilapidated state of some of the structures, as well as the challenges of welcoming millions of people every year in a historic building that mostly dates back to the Renaissance era.

Des Cars used her appearance on Wednesday to defend a renovation plan of 700-800 million euros ($808-924 million) announced by President Emmanuel Macron in January this year.

Culture Minister Rachida Dati said Tuesday that structural problems, as illustrated by the closure of the Campana Gallery housing Greek pottery, were not surprising.

"To bring this museum completely up to standards and fully restore it, it would almost need to be closed permanently," she told the BFM news channel.

But "we don't want to deprive visitors, and we also don't want to deprive the staff of their work. We are forced to do it in stages," she explained.

"No, the building is not in a good state," chief Louvre architect Francois Chatillon told MPs on Wednesday, saying there were "a bunch of patch-ups that are at the end of their lifespans".

The ceiling identified as being at risk above the Campana Gallery was composed of concrete beams inserted in 1937, he said.