A second French museum was raided by thieves just hours after the brazen $100 million heist at the Louvre.
About 2,000 gold and silver coins — some 235 years old — were swiped from the Maison des Lumières (House of Enlightenment) in Landres when it was closed, the BBC reported.
Employees discovered the coins were missing when they returned to work on Tuesday and found a smashed display. But they soon realized the burglary was actually on Sunday, the same day as the $100-million heist in Paris some 300 miles away.
The coins, worth more than $100,000, were stolen with “great expertise,” local officials noted.
Thieves stole 2,000 gold and silver coins that were on display at France’s House of Enlightenment museum. Musees de Langres
Maison des Lumières is located 300 miles away from Paris where four people robbed the Louvre. Musees LangresThey were part of the city’s private collection and date between 1790 and 1840. They were initially discovered in 2011 during renovation at the museum, which is dedicated to the French philosopher Denis Diderot.
The raid remains under investigation, with experts warning that the loot from such raids is typically melted to be resold as precious metals.
The Landres heist stands as the latest blow to France’s historical treasures after a group of thieves entered the Louvre on Sunday and stole $100 million worth of precious jewels.
The daring daylight robbery from the world-famous museum, which was cleared in under 10 minutes, highlighted the security failures at play and how vulnerable France’s treasures are.
Police are still investigating the robbery at the museum dedicated to French philosopher Denis Diderot. AFP via Getty ImagesPrior to Sunday’s heists, thieves broke into Paris’ Natural History Museum in September and made off with six gold nuggets worth around $1.7 million.
A Chinese woman was arrested and charged in Barcelona this week after allegedly trying to dispose of some melted, French prosecutors said.
That same month also saw two Chinese nationals swiping porcelain dishes and a vase with a combined value of $7.6 million from the national porcelain museum in Limoges.
Art detective Arthur Brand told the BBC that he’s afraid the latest spate of robberies, most of which have yet to be cracked by police, may inspire small-time thieves to test their luck at their nearest museum.






