In a daring and well-planned early morning raid on Sunday, an organised gang of masked criminals broke into the world-famous museum of luxury glass and jewellery brand Lalique.
The heist took place in the early hours of the day in the town of Vingen-sur-Moder, Northeast France.
- History of the attack: Around 05:30 local time (06:30 Bulgarian time) the robbers broke down an exterior door of the building and headed directly to the jewelry room. Within minutes they broke six display cases and take out the valuables before they disappear without a trace.
- Loot: Stolen around 20 unique crystal jewels crafted in Ar Nouveau and Art Deco. Experts estimate the damage at nearly 4 million euros. The specific thing is that the products do not contain precious stones and cannot be melted down, which suggests a contract robbery.
- Security Failure: The museum's alarm system was activated immediately. However, the security company did not immediately send a team and did not notify the gendarmerie in a timely manner. A cleaning lady was the first to arrive at the scene of the crime and reported it to the police. The city's mayor, Christian Dorschner, expressed his anger and called the incident a "serious security failure."
- Current status: French authorities are currently analyzing the CCTV footage in detail. The museum, which houses over 650 masterpieces by René Lalique and his heirs, announced on its official website that it will remain closed to visitors for the next few days.
This case comes just months after another shocking robbery in France — that of the Louvre in Paris last October, when $102 million worth of jewelry was stolen. It once again highlights the vulnerability of the country's cultural institutions.
Source: AFP and Le Parisien