In a brazen act of theft, around 2,000 gold and silver coins valued at approximately €90,000 were stolen from the Maison des Lumières museum in Landres, northeastern France, on Sunday night. This incident occurred mere hours after an audacious robbery at the Louvre museum in Paris, where a gang stole French crown jewels valued at around €88 million.
The theft at the Maison des Lumières, dedicated to French philosopher Denis Diderot, was discovered when staff opened the museum on Tuesday to find a display case smashed. According to local authorities, the coins were taken with considerable expertise, raising concerns about security protocol at cultural institutions.
The frequency of such cultural heists has left the French public in shock. Just last month, thieves made off with six gold nuggets from the Natural History Museum in Paris, worth approximately €1.5 million. A suspect connected to this crime was arrested in Barcelona. Additionally, in September, criminals stole two historically significant Chinese porcelain dishes from a national museum in Limoges, remaining untraceable.
Experts have suggested that the recent thefts may lead to ‘copycat’ incidents across the country, indicating a potential organized crime trend targeting cultural assets. The Louvre's director, Laurence des Cars, informed senators about poor security measures, noting that a significant portion of the museum's perimeter lacked sufficient surveillance. This has sparked a broader debate about the safety protocols employed by French institutions housing invaluable treasures.
The ongoing string of art heists underscores a looming crisis in the cultural space in France, with many questioning the effectiveness of existing security arrangements.
