MASKED BURGLARS STEAL 20 JEWELS FROM ALSACE MUSEUM IN OVERNIGHT RAID

Masked burglars broke into Musée Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, eastern Alsace, in the early hours of 5 July and stole approximately 20 pieces of jewellery in a rapid raid. The museum confirmed that security systems were triggered during the theft. Staff identified the missing items and passed their descriptions to authorities to assist the search. The gendarmerie attended the scene and reviewed CCTV footage. An investigation source estimated the stolen jewellery's value at close to four million euros. The museum announced it would remain closed for several days to prepare for a safe reopening.

Musée Lalique, located 60 kilometres northwest of Strasbourg, houses more than 650 pieces including Art Nouveau jewellery, Art Deco glass and crystal. The museum is dedicated to René Lalique, a jeweller and glassmaker who died in 1945 at the age of 85 and was known for working with glass, enamel, horn, ivory and semi-precious stones. The theft occurred less than a year after a separate burglary at the Louvre in Paris in October, when a gang used an extendable ladder and chainsaws to break in over seven minutes. Several suspects were arrested in connection with the Louvre incident, though the stolen exhibits from that heist were not recovered.

The museum's statement thanked those involved for their professionalism during the response. The investigation into the Lalique theft remains ongoing.