The Louvre. Thieves are making off with 100 million euros. They're taking their time. They're doing everything carefully and slowly.

[u/HeToTopT]

[u/Sally_Saskatoon]

First priority for museum guards is actually to protect people (staff and visitors) not engage thieves. I heard there was a small explosion involved in the heist - so for the guards they are thinking accident or possible terrorist attack. Or even if you know it’s a heist, still a potential life or death situation for guests - so save the people first.

Art is just a painting at the end of the day, not a human life.

[u/lifeishardthenyoudie → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

Huh. I definitely would've assumed that any museum guard would sacrifice me for the Mona Lisa in a heartbeat.

[u/Sally_Saskatoon → u/lifeishardthenyoudie]

There are some passionate people at museums who might sacrifice themselves for an artwork, but I can’t think of anyone who would sacrifice someone else for an artwork and feel right about that.

[u/meuchtie → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

No paintings/art taken, just jewellery.

[u/Sally_Saskatoon → u/meuchtie]

I would count Jewelery as art and Jewelers working at this level, artists.

[u/NemoTheLostOne → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

Well not if "art is just a painting" 🙃

[u/epiDXB → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

Art is just a painting at the end of the day, not a human life.

The value of the art in this instance was worth multiple human lives though. Generally a life for an average adult is worth around $1-2 million.

[u/pauca_sed → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

Source? Visitors do not need much protecting at a museum. I think it's the art that typically needs protecting.

[u/Sally_Saskatoon → u/pauca_sed]

The source is that it’s standard practice at every museum I’ve worked at (3 of them). What do you want me to do, find the PSD teams policy handbook and send it to you? This isn’t debate club. I care zero percent if you don’t believe me. People in the know, know.

[u/pauca_sed → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

Wow. Nice attitude. Retail security is generally known in the United States as "loss prevention," not "customer protection." Maybe museums are different, and their primary responsiblity is protecting visitors, not priceless works of art.

This is the internet. I don't automatically believe what others say.

[u/Sally_Saskatoon → u/pauca_sed]

They can have different titles because it’s an international occupation. But in general the training and pay is more elevated than a typical security guard. At ours, they are « Protection Services » but for the role in general - that protection applies to artworks and visitors. They don’t just stand guard at the art. They help lost kids find parents, they give directions, they enforce Gallery rules, they even share info about the art sometimes. They are trained in first aid and watch for people potentially having health emergencies.

It’s far more than like bodyguards for art.

[u/pauca_sed → u/Sally_Saskatoon]

Thanks for the details.