Khaberni - A second French museum was broken into just hours after the theft of jewelry from the Louvre, valued at approximately 88 million euros, in a new incident that has increased shock in the French cultural circles.
Local officials announced that the "Maison de Lumiere" museum in Langer was subjected to a well-planned robbery, targeting about two thousand gold and silver coins, some dating back more than two centuries.
The robbery took place on Sunday, the same day as the Louvre operation, but the employees discovered it two days later when they arrived on Tuesday morning to find one of the display cases shattered.
According to preliminary investigations, the operation was executed with great professionalism, as the thieves managed to steal artifacts dating back to 1790, valued at more than 100,000 British pounds.
These coins are part of a rare collection discovered in 2011 during the restoration works of the museum dedicated to the French philosopher Denis Diderot, and experts fear that these coins might be melted down and sold as precious metals, which complicates the tracking process.
This incident occurred hours after a major theft inside the Louvre Museum in Paris, where two masked men infiltrated the famous Apollo Gallery early Sunday using a mechanical lifting device, and within 7 minutes stole historical jewels described as the "French Crown Jewels".
The investigations revealed that the perpetrators left behind about 150 samples of DNA and fingerprints on a helmet, gloves, and a stolen truck, which they tried to burn before escaping on two motorcycles.
The Public Prosecutor in Paris, Laur Picco, stated that the analysis of the biological evidence is a priority, confirming that surveillance cameras enabled tracking the escape route out of the capital. She added that the investigation is being conducted under the charges of "theft and criminal conspiracy" by a highly professional organized gang.
Officials fear that these consecutive crimes may be part of a wave targeting French museums, following a series of similar incidents recently involving the Natural History Museum in Paris and the National Porcelain Museum in Limoges.
