Louvre Museum director resigns following $102M theft of crown jewels

The director of the Louvre Museum in Paris has stepped down, months after thieves stole $102 million in crown jewels in a lightning-fast weekend robbery.

Laurence des Cars presented French President Emmanuel Macron with her resignation, which Macron accepted, according to a statement from the presidential office.

It said Macron praised her decision as "an act of responsibility at a time when the world's largest museum needs calm and a strong new impetus to carry out major projects involving security upgrades, modernization" and other projects.

Macron thanked des Cars for "her work and commitment," and said he wanted to give her a new mission focused on cooperation among major museums, the statement said, without saying if she had accepted.

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Des Cars has remained under fire in the wake of the heist, which many critics have labeled a stunning embarrassment.

Thieves took less than eight minutes in October to steal priceless crown jewels at the world's most visited museum in broad daylight.

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The thieves left behind Eugénie's emerald-encrusted crown, which is set with over 1,300 diamonds, along their escape route outside the museum. The crown was damaged but deemed recoverable.

Authorities have arrested several suspects in that case, but the seven other priceless treasures, including Eugenie's diamond-studded tiara, necklaces, earrings and brooches, remain missing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.