Paris Gold Heist Nets Thieves $700K in Precious Artifacts [WATCH]

Thieves carried out a calculated gold heist late Tuesday evening at the National Natural History Museum in Paris, stealing specimens valued at roughly €600,000 (about $700,000).

As The Gateway Pundit reported, authorities confirmed that the stolen items included native gold samples as well as rare electrum pieces — a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver.

Among the missing artifacts is a gold-and-quartz nugget from California’s Donatia mine, measuring approximately 9 by 8.5 centimeters, which had been donated by a private collector.

PARIS MUSEUM HEIST: $700K IN GOLD GONE

Thieves just pulled a cinematic job on the Paris Museum of Natural History, snatching $700,000 worth of native gold – raw, unrefined alloy straight from the earth’s veins.

Le Parisien says the museum’s alarms and cameras were knocked… https://t.co/7jaO2MrnyG pic.twitter.com/zlaNgZGZBK

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 17, 2025

The robbery took place inside the museum’s geology and mineralogy gallery. Investigators said the thieves used heavy equipment, including an angle grinder and a blowtorch, to break into targeted display cases that had been reinforced with armored glass.

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Emmanuel Skoulios, the museum’s director, said the criminals appeared to have detailed knowledge of the collection. “The perpetrators were fully aware of where they needed to go,” he stated.

The precision of the operation has raised concerns over whether the museum’s alarm and surveillance systems had been compromised.

Officials are reviewing whether a cyberattack reported in July played any role in weakening security, though no direct connection has been confirmed.

This theft follows a troubling pattern of cultural crimes across France. Recent incidents include the theft of valuable porcelain in Limoges, damage to display cases in other Paris museums, and the snatching of high-value jewelry in broad daylight.

The French public has expressed growing frustration with the wave of thefts targeting the nation’s cultural institutions. Many are now questioning whether museums and state facilities remain capable of safeguarding priceless artifacts and heritage collections.

For now, the museum has closed its mineralogy gallery while staff conduct a full inventory to assess if additional pieces are missing.

Investigators are continuing to search for leads as pressure builds to determine whether the thieves had inside knowledge or outside assistance in bypassing multiple layers of security.

The case adds to broader concerns that France’s cultural institutions, once seen as secure, are becoming vulnerable targets for sophisticated criminal networks.

The loss is not only financial but also symbolic, striking at the country’s efforts to preserve its national identity through its museums and historical treasures.

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