Until then, Swiss museums had not really been affected by the epidemic of thefts currently raging in France, but on Tuesday November 18, the Roman Museum of Lausanne-Vidy suffered an unusual robbery when the museum was closing. Several dozen gold coins were stolen before the police intervened.
The case was made public Thursday in a press release from the Lausanne police. In this press release, they explain: “The two individuals attacked and overpowered the guard. They then forced open a secure display case and stole several gold coins from it.. Around 4:45 p.m., the two men took their tickets at the ticket counter and pretended to be tourists. At closing time, around 6 p.m., when the last visitors had left, the thieves attacked the guard then, after breaking the protective glass, took the gold coins before fleeing. Once the thieves left, the guard was able to sound the alarm. Police were then deployed to the area and scene. The museum remained closed Wednesday to give investigators time. The number and value of the stolen coins are still being estimated.
The Roman Museum of Lausanne-Vidy, founded in 1934, is located near the Roman archaeological site of Lousonna. Its collection, made up of objects such as jewelry, ceramics and even tools, is one of the most important in the region. What was stolen was Vidy’s treasure: 70 Roman gold coins whose provenance spans several centuries.
According to the newspaper 24hoursthe pieces had been moved to the ground floor during a change in the layout of the permanent collection. This move made them more accessible from the entrance hall, and thus easier to steal.
It is rare in Switzerland to have such a daring heist. For example, in May 2025, the Basel Historical Museum noticed the disappearance of a ring belonging to Tsar Alexander I. After a month of investigation, the case was made public, but the thief and the jewel were never found. Aside from this one, most of the thefts date back at least ten years, such as the theft of four master paintings from the Bührle Foundation in Zurich in a poorly protected house in 2008.
