Thieves steal 20 jewels worth nearly €4 million from France's Lalique Museum
Thieves broke into the Musée Lalique in eastern France early Sunday, smashing display cases and making off with around 20 pieces of jewelry valued at nearly €4 million. The museum, already under heightened surveillance after the 2025 Louvre heist, was temporarily closed as investigators examine security footage.
Thieves broke into the Musée Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, eastern France, in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, and stole around 20 pieces of jewelry. The value of the stolen items is estimated at several million euros, with a source close to the investigation telling AFP the figure is likely close to four million. The museum, dedicated to the Art Nouveau and Art Deco glassmaker and jeweler René Lalique, has been temporarily closed.
The break-in
The break-in occurred around 5:30 a.m. local time. One or more perpetrators attempted to smash windows but failed, then gained entry through an emergency exit, according to French media. Once inside, they headed directly to the jewelry room and smashed at least six display cases. The entire operation was swift, and the thieves fled before police arrived.
Alarm and response
The museum's alarm system triggered at the time of the intrusion. However, the security company contracted by the museum only dispatched an employee around 7:00 a.m. In the meantime, a cleaning lady arriving for her early shift discovered the break-in and alerted the gendarmerie. Police arrived to find the display cases shattered and the suspects gone.
We want light to be shed on the timing of these events.
Mayor Christian Dorschner, who also serves as vice-president of the museum, said the damage could be "considerable" and that "unique objects" may have been taken.
- Thieves enter museum via emergency exit; alarm triggers.
- Cleaning lady arrives, discovers break-in, alerts gendarmerie.
- Security company dispatches employee to museum.
- Gendarmerie arrives, finds six smashed display cases and thieves gone.
Museum under scrutiny
The Musée Lalique had been classified as a "sensitive site" and placed under heightened surveillance following the high-profile heist at the Louvre in Paris in October 2025, when thieves stole $102 million worth of jewelry in under eight minutes. Despite this, the protection measures proved insufficient.
There was a protection system, but it was not enough.
Investigation and closure
The criminal investigation unit of the Bas-Rhin gendarmerie is now analyzing surveillance camera footage to identify the suspects. The museum itself has not disclosed the exact number of stolen items or their value, but confirmed that all losses have been identified and descriptions provided to the relevant services. The institution announced on social media that it will remain closed for several days to prepare for "a quiet and safe reopening." Opened in 2011 near the Lalique factory that has operated since 1921, the museum spans 900 m² and showcases the glass creations of René Lalique.
