Millions of dollars' worth of jewelry was stolen from the iconic Lalique Museum in France during a dawn break-in. It is the latest in a spate of museum robberies hitting the country in the last couple of years.
'Following a burglary, the Lalique Museum will be closed for several days,' Musée Lalique announced on its website on Sunday. 'Thank you for your understanding.' According to sources, thieves broke into the museum in Wingen-sur-Moder in northeastern France around 5:30 a.m. local time.
Some 20 jewels were taken, estimated at close to €4 million, or the equivalent of £3.4 million and $4.6 million. According to investigators, 'An alarm went off, but by the time the security company had completed its checks, it was a cleaning lady who arrived first on the scene and called the police.'
What Police Know So Far
The museum's CCTV is currently being examined. Police are looking into possible lapses regarding why the theft wasn't immediately noticed when the alarm went off.
Wingen-sur-Moder Mayor Christian Dorschner told the media, 'All the alarms went off, just as they should. And then with the security company, apparently, there was a major failure on their part: they didn't intervene right away, they didn't inform the gendarmes.'
He believes the thieves were professionals. 'They were surely well informed to carry out this job in that way,' Mayor Dorschner also said. Initial reports stated that masked men broke into the museum by forcing a door open. They immediately headed to the jewellery room, smashed six display cases, and ran away with around 20 items.
A source said that most of the items stolen were made of crystal, which cannot be melted down and resold. Musée Lalique is one of three institutions in the world inspired by jeweller and glass designer René Lalique. It has over 650 exhibits and welcomes thousands of visitors every year.
France's Security Challenge
France has grappled with a series of high-profile security breaches in the last few years. Less than a year ago, an organised group disguised themselves as construction workers to steal eight items from the French Crown Jewels at the Louvre, the most visited museum in the world.
The brazen attack happened in broad daylight, with the stolen items pegged at €88 million, or equivalent to £75.4 million and $100.6 million.
While the Louvre robbery on 19 October 2025 drew global attention, another museum fell victim to thieves on the same day. Some 2,000 gold and silver coins, estimated to be worth €90,000, or equivalent to £77,107 million and $102,860, were stolen from the Maison des Lumières in Landres, northeastern France.
High-profile crimes in France have also included the armed robbery of reality star Kim Kardashian in Paris on 3 October 2016. Eight people were found guilty last year for their role in that attack.
The recent heatwave also amped up chaotic scenes in French stores as crowds rushed to buy air-conditioning units. Some incidents escalated into all-out brawls.
Reports of rampant pickpocketing in tourist-heavy areas have prompted warnings from many countries. In a travel advisory, the US State Department said, 'Pickpocketing and phone thefts are common, especially in crowded places. Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France and may attack with little to no warning.'
