A 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested in Barcelona on September 30 and later charged with stealing over $1 million worth of gold from the Natural History Museum in Paris. The theft occurred on September 16, and authorities reported the woman had left France the same day. During her arrest, she was attempting to sell around 2.2 pounds of molten gold.
The stolen items included historically significant pieces like an 18th-century Bolivian gift and a nugget from Tsar Nicholas I, totaling nearly 6 kilograms of gold. Damage to the museum was estimated at €1.5 million ($1.7 million). Investigators noted that two doors had been cut open, and display cases destroyed with a blowtorch.
This incident is part of a troubling trend of robberies at French cultural institutions, including a recent high-profile jewel heist at the Louvre valued at around $102 million. Security concerns have risen due to multiple break-ins in recent months, prompting calls for improved protection measures for museums. Investigations continue as authorities search for further suspects involved in this wave of thefts.
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