After Louvre Robbery, Diderot Museum in France Targeted in Another Daring Theft

A second major art theft has shaken France as thieves broke into the Diderot Museum in Langres, stealing 18th–19th century gold and silver coins worth around €90,000 just days after the Louvre heist.

Unknown perpetrators robbed the Denis Diderot House of Enlightenment, a museum dedicated to the life and legacy of the French writer and philosopher, in the city of Langres in the Haute-Marne department. The crime took place on Monday, October 20, shortly after the high-profile robbery at the Louvre in Paris, reports France Info.

Staff arriving in the morning discovered signs of forced entry at the main door and a shattered display case. The missing items included a selection of gold and silver coins from the museum’s collection.

According to the city hall, the thieves acted with precision and purpose, stealing only part of the valuables while leaving other exhibits untouched. Investigators believe the robbery was premeditated. The stolen items were part of the museum’s “treasure” — a set of coins discovered by workers during restoration in 2011. The collection included 1,633 silver and 319 gold coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, valued at roughly €90,000.

The city of Langres has now hired a private security company to monitor the site at night while the museum’s security system is upgraded. The museum remains closed for the time being. Local authorities “strongly condemn this act of vandalism and theft, which harms our collective heritage.”

Heist Follows Robbery at the Louvre

The Louvre robbery occurred on October 19. Thieves broke into the Apollo Gallery and made off with nine historic jewels within minutes. The stolen items, valued at about €88 million, included a necklace and earrings from the collection of Empress Marie-Louise, three jewels belonging to Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais, and several pieces once owned by Empress Eugénie.

Paris prosecutors have not ruled out that the Louvre robbery was commissioned or linked to money laundering operations. Authorities are also examining a possible foreign connection, though it is “not a priority” in the investigation. Initially, the museum planned to reopen the next day, but it remained closed for three days and reopened on October 22. The Apollo Gallery, however, where the jewels were stolen, remains shut to the public.