Four indictments after the burglary of the Lalique Museum

Four people were indicted as part of the investigation into the burglary of the Lalique Museum, in Wingen-sur-Moder (Bas-Rhin), and that of the Montans archaeological center (Tarn), which occurred four days apart last July. The Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) of Nancy announced on Friday, November 6, that two of the suspects had been placed in pre-trial detention and two others under judicial supervision. These first legal advances come as the Lalique Museum prepares its reopening, set for November 28, almost five months after the theft of 27 jewels with an estimated value of 4.5 million euros.

On Sunday July 5, 2026, around 5:30 a.m., three hooded individuals entered the establishment by breaking an emergency exit using a crowbar, then forcing a fire door. Arriving in the main room, they smashed six display cases with sledgehammers and hammers before seizing the jewelry on display. According to the Latest News from Alsace the burglary would have lasted 11 minutes and 30 seconds. An employee responsible for cleaning raised the alarm upon her arrival. According to the mayor of Wingen-sur-Moder, Christian Dorschner, the remote surveillance company did not immediately notify the intervention services. Among the stolen works was the pendant Female dragonfly, wings openmade around 1898-1900 in gold, diamonds and enamel, which constituted the museum’s first acquisition and one of the major pieces of its collections.

The investigation, initially opened under the authority of the Saverne public prosecutor’s office, was entrusted to an investigating judge from the JIRS in Nancy. The investigations were carried out by the research section of the Strasbourg gendarmerie and the Central Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Cultural Property (OCBC). They made it possible to establish a connection with a burglary committed on July 1, around 4 a.m., at the Montans archaeological center. Thirty-seven Gallo-Roman gold coins were stolen there, for damage estimated at 120,000 euros. The Albi public prosecutor’s office relinquished responsibility in favor of that of Nancy and the two cases were brought together in the same procedure.

At the end of four months of investigations, an operation involving 90 gendarmes and police officers led to the arrest of six people suspected of having participated in the burglaries, in their preparation or in receiving the stolen objects. Four of them, aged 23 to 51 and from different French regions, were presented to the investigating judge and then indicted. No recovery of jewelry or coins has been announced in the information published at this stage.

The closure of the museum, decided after the burglary, was extended several times. Initially planned for the end of August, the reopening was successively postponed to September, October, then November 28. These delays are explained by the repair work and reinforcement of safety devices. At the beginning of August, the establishment launched a fund intended to finance additional developments not covered by insurance.

In a press release published in October, Véronique Brumm Schaich, director of the museum, underlined the need to complete these interventions before welcoming visitors again. The museum will reopen on November 28 with its permanent collections, but without presenting jewelry initially, in accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Culture. The public will also be able to discover “Crystallization”, dedicated to Lalique’s collaborations with contemporary artists, architects and foundations. Activities will accompany the reopening on November 28 and 29.