Recent museum thefts in Europe | Explained

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Visitors queue outside the Louvre museum, one week after the robbery, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Paris. T | Photo Credit: AP

Thefts in museums, especially in Europe which houses several famous and infamous collections of objects from around the world, both part of a rich history and the residue of colonialism, are showing a shift in pattern, the Europol said in a report on August 24. The sophisticated world of art history and cultural exploration has always been exposed to black markets and trafficking of artefacts. But unlike robberies in banks or other institutions that notoriously become violent and traumatic, law enforcement agencies and popular culture have long associated museum thefts with the same ‘elegance’ and sophistication that the targets are known for. However, the Europol has now marked increasingly violent museum thefts, with the use of weapons and loud distractions, and have linked it to the emergence of a new kind of syndicate dealing in stolen artifacts.

The inter-state law enforcement body spanning the 27-member European Union has noted a shift towards violent and forceful methods for museum robberies targeting high-value items suggesting a “strong criminal market demand and ease of illicit resale”.

In a report titled “Changing tactics, changing targets: the evolving nature of museum heists”, the Europol said that museum thefts were generally considered as low-key, non-violent, forms of organised property crimes, where perpetrators depend on use of stealth and deception for a discreet execution of the crime. It noted a 2024 case in which a Georgian group was arrested for stealing antique and rare books from museums and archives while replacing them with counterfeits. The crime, the Europol said, took weeks to plan and execute.

However, EU states have also reported several recent cases where offenders are adopting more direct and confrontational approach towards stealing artefacts. It marked a growing use of force where premises and display of museums were breached using tools like sledgehammers, axes, crowbars, and, in some instances, explosives. The agency also noted use of firearms to intimidate security personnel and museum visitors, with some cases reporting direct physical assault on them. The Europol noted a 2025 case from the Netherlands were a gang gained entry into the Dutch Drents Museum in Assen by using explosives at the door and a 2024 case from France where hooded suspects stormed the Cognacq-Jay art museum with baseball bats and axes. The museum heist in October 2025 committed at the Louvre Museum in Paris also exhibited similar violent features where the thieves broke a window and threatened guards and visitors before smashing display cases and stealing jewellery worth an estimated €88 million.

The use of force ‘uncharacteristic’ to a museum heist suggested prior identification of objects to steal and pre-planned execution, the Europol said.

Along with the change in nature of the crime, the Europol said that the targets of museum heists have also evolved.