A recent break-in at the National Natural History Museum in Paris has resulted in the theft of gold samples valued at approximately 600,000 euros ($700,000). The museum, known for its extensive collections, including dinosaur skeletons and taxidermy, also houses a geology and mineralogy gallery where the stolen items were kept.
The theft was detected on Tuesday morning, with reports indicating that the intruders used an angle grinder and a blow torch to gain access to the riverside complex. According to the museum’s press office, the stolen specimens are native gold, a metal alloy containing gold and silver in their natural, unrefined form. While the monetary value of the stolen items is significant, the museum emphasized that they hold an “immeasurable heritage value.”
An investigation into the incident is underway, with museum director Emmanuel Skoulios describing the perpetrators as “an extremely professional team” who were aware of the location and had the necessary equipment to carry out the theft. It is unclear whether the museum’s alarm and surveillance systems, which were reportedly disabled by a cyber attack in July, were functioning at the time of the incident.
The robbery is the latest in a series of thefts targeting cultural institutions in France. Earlier this month, the Adrien Dubouche National Museum in Limoges suffered a break-in, resulting in the theft of Chinese porcelain valued at 6.5 million euros. In November, several 18th-century works were stolen from the Cognacq-Jay museum in Paris, and jewelry valued at several million euros was taken from a museum in Saone-et-Loire.
The theft has highlighted concerns about the security of cultural institutions and the need for increased vigilance to protect valuable collections. As one of the most significant museum heists in recent years, the incident at the National Natural History Museum serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding cultural treasures. The museum has closed its mineralogy gallery and is conducting an inventory of its collection to determine if any other items are missing. The investigation is ongoing, with the museum working closely with law enforcement to recover the stolen items and prevent future incidents.
