In a shocking turn of events, another theft has struck France's cultural institutions as around 2,000 gold and silver coins were stolen from a museum. This incident took place at the Maison des Lumières in Landres, north-eastern France, only hours after a major heist where French crown jewels were stolen from the Louvre.
The stolen coins, valued at approximately €90,000 (£78,000; $104,000), date back to the period between 1790 and 1840 and were part of the city's private collection. Workers discovered the crime when they opened the museum, noticing a smashed display case. According to local authorities, the coins were taken with 'great expertise', raising further concerns about security at cultural institutions across France.
This robbery follows a string of recent heists, including a break-in at Paris's Natural History Museum, where six gold nuggets worth €1.5 million were stolen. Experts suggest this could mark a trend, with local thieves potentially being emboldened by the audacity of the recent Louvre heist, where crooks disguised as workmen managed to steal €88 million in jewels.
Art detective Arthur Brand warns that if security does not improve at these rich cultural sites, we could see many more copycat operations in the near future. As France grapples with increasing concerns over the security of its treasures, officials are under pressure to find solutions to protect these invaluable artifacts.
