Sledgehammers and explosives more common in museum heists, Europol says

Sledgehammers, axes, and explosives are the new weapons of choice for thieves targeting European museums, according to a report by police agency Europol.Museum heists were becoming increasingly aggressive, the report said, taking on "violent and forceful" methods.It's a stark contrast to prior "discreet" thefts, where perpetrators relied on deception, stealth and reconnaissance.In 2024, a large-scale theft of valuable books from libraries across the European Union (EU) saw perpetrators replace the originals with counterfeit copies to avoid detection.Two years on, Europol said there had been a shift towards more "direct and confrontational" tactics."In some cases, offenders use firearms to intimidate security personnel and visitors," the agency's report said."Some museum thefts have involved direct physical assaults on staff, such as tying them up or using brute force against them."[The] use of force is closely linked to targeted operations, suggesting prior identification of specific objects and pre-planned execution."The 2025 Louvre heist remains unsolvedEuropol's report cited several examples of violent thefts, including the attack on the Louvre Museum in Paris in 2025.Surveillance footage of the heist showed thieves smashing glass display cases and taking the jewellery inside.The heist, which made international headlines, took less than eight minutes.The four thieves spent only four minutes inside the museum itself, entering via a crane to the gallery window.The estimated value of the stolen jewellery was about $US102 million ($156 million).Only one man has been charged to date, and none of the jewels have been located.The targeting of precious metals and stones was another cultural shift noted by Europol."Most of these incidents involved some degree of violence," the report said."Thieves have stolen golden objects, such as nuggets, gold coins, golden decorative pieces as well as jewels with precious stones."The report also noted Chinese cultural artefacts were repeatedly being targeted, including Ming Dynasty vases and porcelain plates from the 12th-13th centuries.Changing market demand for museum theftsPrecious metals stolen from museums can be melted down, according to the report, leaving no trace.Precious stones can be removed and sold on."Both types of items are attractive to criminal networks due to their visibility, accessibility, and the perception that museum security measures are less robust than those in jewellery stores," the report said."Similarly, ancient Chinese porcelain artefacts are likely targeted by cultural goods traffickers for financial gain."Driven by high demand, they are likely to be easily sold on the art market."In 2019, thieves targeted Germany's Green Vault city palace. (Reuters: Matthias Rietschel)The shift towards violent means in the pursuit of specific items or cultural goods could indicate a newer kind of thief.Typically, Europol's report said, goods traffickers would avoid violence.These newer thieves often have a history of involvement in other types of crime, and some appear to coordinate their heists on an "ad hoc basis"."[They are] often recruited locally through social media and instant communication channels, without prior connections to each other," Europol's report said."It is possible that low-level executors of thefts are randomly recruited on a crime-as-a-service basis."Alternatively, some criminal actors and networks … [have] realised the low-risk, high-profit potential of museum heists."