CrimeOct 20, 2025
See the ‘Priceless’ Jewels Stolen During Daytime Heist at the Louvre CrimeJul 07, 2026
Thieves Steal Millions in Jewels From France’s Musée Lalique
Around 20 pieces of jewelry were stolen from the museum dedicated to French jeweler and glassmaker René Lalique.
French authorities are investigating the July 5 burglary of Musée Lalique in Wingen-sur-Moder, a town in northeastern France. (Image courtesy of Musée Lalique’s Facebook page)
Wingen-sur-Moder, France—Masked thieves stole millions of euros worth of jewelry from Musée Lalique in France over the weekend, less than a year after the robbery at the Louvre.
The museum, which honors French jeweler and glassmaker René Lalique, was the target of a break-in in the early hours of July 5, the museum said in a statement shared to Instagram.
A group of masked thieves entered the museum around 5:30 a.m., forcing a door open and heading to the jewelry room, a source close to the investigation told Agence France-Presse, as reported in Le Monde.
Around 20 pieces of jewelry were stolen, the source said, with the loss close to €4 million ($4.5 million).
Another source told AFP the stolen jewelry was crystal and not set with precious gems, and so the pieces cannot be melted down.
The jewelry was stolen “in a very short space of time,” the museum said, which triggered its various security systems. French authorities headed to the scene and reviewed the CCTV footage.
The investigation is ongoing.
Lalique (1860-1945) was a renowned artist and jeweler who made his mark on the Art Nouveau and then Art Deco movements, an especially impressive feat considering the two styles are “diametrically opposed,” noted the museum.
Lalique was inspired by the 3 Fs, it said: flora, fauna, and the female form.
The museum, which honors French jeweler and glassmaker René Lalique, was the target of a break-in in the early hours of July 5, the museum said in a statement shared to Instagram.
A group of masked thieves entered the museum around 5:30 a.m., forcing a door open and heading to the jewelry room, a source close to the investigation told Agence France-Presse, as reported in Le Monde.
Around 20 pieces of jewelry were stolen, the source said, with the loss close to €4 million ($4.5 million).
Another source told AFP the stolen jewelry was crystal and not set with precious gems, and so the pieces cannot be melted down.
The jewelry was stolen “in a very short space of time,” the museum said, which triggered its various security systems. French authorities headed to the scene and reviewed the CCTV footage.
The investigation is ongoing.
Lalique (1860-1945) was a renowned artist and jeweler who made his mark on the Art Nouveau and then Art Deco movements, an especially impressive feat considering the two styles are “diametrically opposed,” noted the museum.
Lalique was inspired by the 3 Fs, it said: flora, fauna, and the female form.
“Drawing inspiration from nature and daring enough to use the female body as an ornamental element, René Lalique brought unexpected renewal to the world of jewelry.”
In a style popular now but uncommon at the time, he combined precious metals and gemstones with alternative materials like glass, horn, ivory, and enamel.
“In his eyes, it was better to strive for something beautiful than for an outward display of luxury,” the museum said. “The feel took precedence over the material.”
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In a style popular now but uncommon at the time, he combined precious metals and gemstones with alternative materials like glass, horn, ivory, and enamel.
“In his eyes, it was better to strive for something beautiful than for an outward display of luxury,” the museum said. “The feel took precedence over the material.”
Lalique was also a talented glassmaker, first experimenting with the material in the 1890s.
He would engrave and set the glass as if it was a gemstone. Compared with a gemstone, glass is easier to design and manufacture to fit the needs of a project, the museum noted.
He also created vases, sculptures, and small artifacts out of glass.
Musée Lalique, which opened in July 2011, houses around 650 works that follow the career of Lalique and his successors, including jewelry, crystal, glass, perfume bottles, and drawings.
The museum did not specify what was taken, but said its team identified all the missing items and shared their descriptions with authorities.
Musée Lalique did not respond to a request for more information as of press time.
“The museum will remain closed over the coming days in order to prepare for a smooth and safe reopening for its staff and visitors,” it said.
“The Lalique Museum team would like to thank everyone involved for their professionalism.”
On Monday, the museum shared an image of a green “Scarab and Lotus” ring created by Lalique around 1897–1898 to its Facebook page.
“Following the terrible burglary the museum suffered, it is impossible to carry on as if nothing had happened,” it stated in the post.
“But we want to look ahead, which is why this week’s theme is green, the color of hope.”
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