Another Louvre security blunder as pranksters hang up their own fake artwork near Mona Lisa just weeks after jewel heist
THIS is the shocking moment two pranksters successfully sneak a painting into the Louvre and hang it in the same room as the Mona Lisa.
The stunt took place just one month after the major heist in which thieves stole priceless jewels from the world-famous museum.
CCTV footage from November 15 shows the Belgian pair enter the gallery, carrying a rolled-up canvas and frame constructed from LEGO to avoid detection at security.
Museum staff inspect their bag before before eventually letting them through.
Once inside, they reconstruct the frame, fasten the artwork to it and quickly make their way towards the room housing the Mona Lisa.
They then look around for somewhere to place their artwork.
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Given the strong security presence around the Mona Lisa, the two men are forced to hang the painting on a different wall in the same room.
After achieving what they set out to do, they immediately make for the exit.
They later said they did not want to cause a scene so left as soon as the painting was in place.
According to their social media accounts, they entered the museum approximately an hour before closing.
This is not the first time the pair, named Neal and Senne, have pulled off a stunt like this.
They previously hid in the toilets of the Allianz Arena in Munich, and snuck on to the red carpet at an event in Venice.
French media reported that security at the Louvre had been reinforced since the major theft on October 19.
The seven-minute heist saw thieves scale the side of the building before smashing their way inside and escaping with the loot.
The four men arrived on scooters at around 9:30am, targeting the side of the Apollo Gallery that faces the River Seine.
Using a cherry-picker, they reached the first floor and climbed onto the balcony.
They then cut through a window with a glass cutter.
Two of the gang rushed inside while a third remained on lookout.
Four suspects were later detained, but authorities have not yet recovered the stolen items.
Three of the suspects are believed to have carried out the robbery itself and have been charged with theft by an organised gang.
A fourth key suspect, whom police consider central to the crime, is still at large.
The fourth person in custody is a woman who is the partner of one of the three detained suspects.
She has been charged with aiding the crime.
All four individuals face additional charges of criminal conspiracy.
Among the missing pieces are a necklace, a brooch, and a tiara.
Sources believe the haul may never reach the black market.
High-value thefts of this kind are often carried out on behalf of wealthy private collectors, meaning the pieces may be hidden away and privately enjoyed by the mastermind who commissioned the raid.
The Louvre is a global symbol of French culture and home to masterpieces including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.
The world’s most visited museum, it draws around 8 to 9 million visitors a year.
It houses around 380,000 objects, with more than 35,000 on display.
Valued at tens of billions of pounds, the Louvre’s collection makes it one of the most heavily guarded museums on Earth.
A spokesperson for the Louvre confirmed they were investigating the incident and considering filing a police complaint against the two men.
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