Museum heists getting more violent as thieves recruited on social media turn to new strategies, Europol warns

Art thieves across Europe are turning to increasingly violent stategies as specialized gangs are replaced by informal opportunists recruited via social media, Europol reported on Monday.

A high-profile raid at the Louvre Museum in Paris last October demonstrated this transition, Europol said, as robbers threatened guards and visitors before escaping with €88 million in jewels, including Empress Eugenie's tiara.

In a new report, the EU's law enforcement agency noted that criminals over the past two years have redirected their focus toward precious metals, jewels, and cultural artifacts offering higher financial returns.

Gold prices have surged 85% over the past two years as central banks and investors seek safe havens. The London Bullion Market Association, overseeing London's over-the-counter gold trading hub, warned that "as gold prices rise to historic levels, illicit flows and market distortions are also increasing."

Highlighting the shift toward physical force, Europol noted: "offenders are breaching premises and display cases using tools such as sledgehammers, axes, crowbars and, in some instances, explosives."

Where traditional gangs relied on stealth, deception, and niche expertise under central leadership, recent thefts are committed by decentralized, profit-motivated groups recruited online on a "crime-as-a-service" basis, the agency said.

Europol added that perpetrators are increasingly targeting gold items ranging from raw nuggets and coins to fine jewelry.

"Precious metals can be easily melted down, leaving no trace for law enforcement, and facilitating illicit sales during the fencing process. Precious stones in jewellery, on the other hand, can be easily removed and sold further," the report stated.

In January of last year, thieves detonated explosives at a Dutch museum to steal a 2,500-year-old Dacian golden helmet and three ancient gold bracelets. The items were recovered and returned to Romania, though one bracelet remains missing.

Europol also recorded a rise in thefts of ancient Chinese porcelain artifacts, such as Ming Dynasty vases, driven by strong market demand.

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies