In the early morning hours of Sunday, thieves broke into the Louvre museum, one of the most celebrated art institutions in the world. Entering the ornate Apollo Gallery, they grabbed what remains of the French crown jewels — items that, as of Tuesday, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said were valued at 88 million euros, or 143 million Cdn.

In the following hours and days, the brazen daylight theft — called “the heist of the century” by a number of newspapers — has dominated headlines around the world. But inside the country, the crime has not only directly impacted the storied museum but devolved into a blame game.

Reactions have ranged from labelling the heist an attack on French identity to an indictment of lax museum security and a wake-up call for museums across the world.

That is de

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