Masked Thieves Steal Jewelry Worth Up to EUR 4 Million From Lalique Museum in France

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing AFP, masked thieves broke into the Lalique Museum in Wingen-sur-Moder in northeastern France at around 5:30 a.m. on July 5, forcing open a door and smashing six display cases in the jewelry gallery to steal about 20 pieces. A source said losses are still being assessed but could total several million euros, likely close to EUR 4 million (about SGD 5.91 million). Another source close to the investigation said the stolen items were crystal pieces without gemstones and could not be melted down. The museum said on its website it will close for several days following the theft, and investigators are analyzing surveillance footage after an alarm sounded but a cleaner arrived before the security company completed its check and then called police. The town’s mayor told local newspaper Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace he was angry and criticized the security company for not responding immediately or notifying the gendarmerie. The report noted that after a daytime jewelry heist at the Louvre in Paris last October, the museum was considered among “sensitive” sites; in that robbery, thieves stole jewelry valued at USD 102 million in under eight minutes.