An alarming theft has rocked the French National Museum of Natural History, as unknown thieves made off with $700,000 worth of rare gold specimens from the museum’s geology and mineralogy gallery. The heist occurred early Tuesday morning, with the museum now closed until further notice.
The theft marks the latest in a troubling trend of museum heists in France, raising concerns about the security of cultural institutions at a time when they are already facing numerous challenges. The museum’s statement emphasized the critical importance of safeguarding cultural heritage during such tumultuous times.
The gold nuggets stolen are classified as native gold, a rare form found in nature in its pure metallic state. These pieces are unique, with no two being alike, and possess significant artistic and scientific value. Emmanuel Skoulios, the museum’s director, described the operation as executed by “an extremely professional team” equipped with advanced tools, including a blowtorch and an angle grinder. Skoulios expressed that the precision of their actions suggested a well-planned mission targeting specific, invaluable specimens.
The museum’s surveillance and alarm systems may have been compromised, as it has been reported that those systems faced a cyberattack earlier in July. Officials are now investigating whether the alarms were operational during the time of the theft, amidst growing concerns over the security of cultural treasures in France.
Museum heists have increasingly become more frequent across the country. Recent examples include the theft of three Chinese porcelain pieces, valued at approximately $11 million, from the Adrien Dubouché National Museum earlier this month. Furthermore, a dramatic daytime robbery occurred last November at the Musée Cognacq-Jay, where thieves armed with axes stole several 18th-century snuffboxes, including items on loan from the British crown.
The historical context of art theft in Paris cannot be overlooked. The city has a rich history of high-profile robberies, including the infamous theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa in 1911, which significantly boosted the painting’s global fame.
With this latest incident, authorities continue to grapple with the implications of such crimes on cultural institutions, stirring anxieties about the preservation of artistic heritage in a world increasingly fraught with insecurity.
