Second museum robbery shocks France: Gold and silver treasure stolen from Diderot Museum

France’s cultural world has been rocked by another theft. Following the spectacular robbery at the Louvre, La Maison des Lumières Denis Diderot Museum in Langres became the target of a carefully planned break-in on the night of October 20. The city’s mayor confirmed that a portion of the museum’s historic treasure had been stolen and that a police investigation is now underway.

Gold and silver coins targeted

The theft was discovered on Monday morning, October 20, when museum staff arrived for work. The sliding entrance door had been forced open, and a display case containing gold and silver coins was smashed. Only specific coins were taken, while the rest of the exhibits remained untouched.

According to a statement from the Langres municipality, “Law enforcement officers were immediately alerted and arrived on site. A portion of the museum’s treasure — a collection of gold and silver coins discovered during the restoration of the Hôtel du Breuil, now home to the museum — has disappeared. The shattered display case was found on the floor, and teams are carrying out a detailed inventory.”

A historic treasure discovered in 2011

The stolen coins were originally discovered in November 2011, hidden behind wooden panels during renovation work on the former Hôtel du Breuil-de-Saint-Germain building. The trove included around 2,000 coins, with 1,633 in silver and 319 in gold, minted between 1790 and 1840. The find was valued at approximately €90,000 at the time.

By law, the worker who discovered the hoard received half of its value, while the other half went to the city of Langres, which owns the building. A selection of the coins had since been displayed at the museum as a historical highlight of this remarkable discovery.

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A planned and targeted theft

Investigators believe the burglary was carefully prepared and highly targeted, noting that the thieves appeared to know exactly what they were looking for. The incident came just one day after the Louvre heist, prompting authorities to question the adequacy of current museum security systems.

Following the Louvre theft, France’s Interior Ministry had already announced tighter security measures for museums and cultural sites nationwide — yet the Diderot Museum robbery has reignited concerns about the vulnerability of France’s cultural heritage.

Museum closed until further notice

The La Maison des Lumières Denis Diderot Museum will remain closed indefinitely while police conduct their investigation. The city of Langres has hired a private security firm to guard the site overnight and plans to upgrade the museum’s entire security system.

In a statement, the municipality condemned the act:

“We strongly denounce this act of vandalism and theft, which is an attack on our shared heritage.”

A formal complaint has been filed with the gendarmerie as authorities work to identify those responsible and recover the stolen artifacts.