Burglars carried out a lightning raid on the Musee Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, northeastern France, on Sunday morning. Masked thieves smashed through the door and headed straight for the jewelry room, stealing approximately 20 pieces of jewelry in a very short space of time. The stolen items are estimated to be worth several million euros, with some investigation sources placing the loss close to four million euros.
The museum, located in the eastern Alsace region about 60 kilometers northwest of Strasbourg, houses more than 650 pieces of work by luxury glassmaker Rene Lalique and his family. The collection includes Art Deco glass, crystal, and Art Nouveau jewelry. Lalique, who died in 1945, was renowned for incorporating enamel, horn, ivory, semi-precious stones, and glass into his creations.
Security systems were triggered during the theft, and police are currently reviewing CCTV footage as they search for the suspects. The museum has announced it will remain closed for several days to implement full security measures before reopening.
This heist occurs less than a year after a theft at the Louvre in Paris last October. While several suspects in the Louvre case have been arrested, those priceless exhibits have not yet been recovered.