European museums close displays after recent rise in thefts
Museums across Europe are moving artworks and closing cases following a series of brazen robberies that occurred between July and August 2026.
Louvre moves crown jewels
The Louvre reopened its Galerie d'Apollon in July 2026 after thieves stole France's crown jewels nine months earlier. Surviving gemstones have been relocated to other locations while officials decide on new security measures for their display.
Other European targets hit
Thieves entered the Museum of Villena in south-eastern Spain on 27 August and took nearly 10kg of gold objects. Less than two weeks later, burglars at the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer removed four paintings, leaving two in nearby gardens.
Recent Burgundy theft
In July, visitors posing as ordinary people stole a 2,500-year-old gold torque from a museum in Burgundy. Europol notes that these incidents represent a recent string of thefts changing what travellers see.
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