Museum heists in Europe are gaining a level of violence previously absent, which could signal the entry of criminals with different profiles into the field, revealed a report released today by Europol.
“Recent cases reported by national authorities show an increasing use of force during museum robberies. Those responsible are breaking into buildings and display cases using tools such as hammers, axes, crowbars, and, in some cases, explosives,” reads the report from the European police agency, which highlights cases of violence against security guards and other staff.
According to Europol, this new resort to violence “may indicate the involvement of perpetrators with a new profile, distinct from those traditionally involved in crimes against cultural property.”
“Rather than cultural property traffickers, who typically avoid violence and specialize in organized property crime or the theft of cultural goods, these individuals usually have histories of involvement in other types of crime,” Europol added, citing the examples of not only the most recent heist at the Louvre in Paris, but also at the museum in Assen, the Netherlands.
Read more: ‘Systemic failures’ led to Louvre robbery, inquiry finds
There are also signs that recruitment is taking place on an ad hoc basis via social media, without prior connections between those responsible.
“It is possible that low-level perpetrators of robberies are being recruited randomly. Alternatively, some actors and networks, typically active in other criminal markets, have recognized the low-risk, high-profit potential of museum heists,” Europol noted. At issue are not only items of jewelry, but also Chinese ceramics from the 12th or 13th centuries.
At least four archaeological artifacts (three gold bracelets and a gold helmet) were stolen in 2025 from the Drents Museum of Art and History in the Netherlands in a heist involving explosives. The helmet and two of the bracelets were recently returned to Romania, where they originated.
Also last year, a group of robbers took only a few minutes to enter the Apollo Gallery at the Louvre Museum via a service elevator, quickly break two of the three display cases installed at the end of 2019 to hold jewels, and flee with eight items valued at an estimated 88 million euros.
