Masked Thieves Steal €4 Million in Lalique Jewelry as Security Failure Angers French Town
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 6
Masked Thieves Steal €4 Million in Lalique Jewelry as Security Failure Angers French Town
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 6
Summary
Around 20 crystal jewelry pieces worth nearly €4 million were stolen from the Lalique Museum in Wingen-sur-Moder after masked burglars forced a door at about 5:30 a.m. and smashed six display cases.
An alarm sounded, but a cleaning worker reached the scene before police after the security company failed to intervene immediately or alert gendarmes, according to investigators and the town's mayor.
Christian Dorschner, mayor of the 1,500-resident town, said the suspects appeared "well informed" and likely specialized, while investigators review CCTV footage and the museum closes for several days.
The raid hit a site already deemed sensitive after last year's eight-minute Louvre heist, where thieves stole $102 million in jewels and exposed major gaps in museum surveillance.
France's museums have faced a string of recent break-ins, including thefts in Limoges, Paris and Saone-et-Loire, keeping pressure on security across the sector.