You don’t have to be MAGA to wonder if the first woman ever put in charge of security at the Louvre got the job more for “representation” than qualification. Especially after one of the most embarrassingly obvious heists in modern memory.
This wasn’t The Thomas Crown Affair. It was more like The Great Muppet Caper.
In September 2024, the Louvre announced the hiring of Dominique Buffin, the museum’s first female head of security. One year later, thieves in broad daylight used a motorized lift to hoist themselves into the jewel gallery, smashed display cases, and escaped on motorcycles. They haven’t been caught. The jewels weren’t just poorly protected, they were also uninsured.
The Daily Beast says that it is a MAGA talking point to question if Buffin was a DEI hire. But isn’t it reasonable to ask why there were so many obvious security holes at The Louvre? Ultimately, Buffin was responsible for all of them so it is logical to ask if she was qualified.
It turns out, she did not have experience in high profile security. Her background was in policing and security advisory roles. She had previously never been in charge of so much as a museum gift shop, let alone the crown jewels of France.
Le Monde reported that her appointment was part of a deliberate push to feminize the museum’s leadership ranks so it’s fair to assume that more seasoned candidates, likely men with operational security backgrounds, were passed over.
On Wednesday, museum officials held a press conference and admitted that the museum had been “defeated” and that their security overall was “very unsatisfactory.”
There have been calls for Buffin to resign but thus far, she has not. Which means it’s probably a good time to break in again if you’re a jewel thief!
The post The Louvre’s First Female Security Chief—and the Great Paris Jewel Heist appeared first on Redacted.
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