History Snatched Again

Yet Another French Museum Has Been Robbed

Photo from Priceless / CC BY-SA 4.0

The Maison des Lumières (House of Enlightenment), a museum located in Landres, was robbed on Sunday, Oct. 19. The French museum is dedicated to Denis Diderot, a prominent Enlightenment philosopher. He served as chief editor of the Encyclopédie, a famous 18th-century French reference work that promoted science and secular thought during the Age of Enlightenment.

According to authorities, 2,000 silver and gold coins dating from 1790-1840 were stolen from the museum, worth more than $100,000. This incident occurred only hours after the well-known and ambitious heist at the Louvre in Paris. 

When the establishment opened Monday, workers encountered a smashed display case. Officials said the culprits broke into the Hôtel du Breuil-de-Saint-Germain and forced their way into the building. It has also been said that the method behind selecting the coins showed “great expertise and precision.”