"A Chinese woman has been arrested and charged over the theft of gold from the Natural History Museum in Paris, in one of several recent high-profile break-ins targeting French cultural institutions, a prosecutor said Tuesday. The theft -- by what the museum's director at the time said was an "extremely professional team" -- took place on September 16th, a little over a month before an audacious jewellery heist at the world-famous Louvre museum on Sunday."
"The stolen items included nuggets from Bolivia donated in the 18th century, from Russia's Ural region gifted by Tsar Nicholas I in 1833, and from California dating to the gold rush era. A five-kilogram nugget from Australia discovered in 1990 was also taken, Beccuau said. Nearly six kilograms of native gold were stolen, with damages estimated at €1.5 million, she added, noting that the historical and scientific value of the pieces was "priceless"."
"The suspect was handed over to French authorities on October 13th and was charged with theft and criminal conspiracy and put in provisional detention the same day. Investigations showed she had left France the day of the break-in and was preparing to return to China."
A 24-year-old Chinese national was arrested in Barcelona on September 30 and transferred to France on October 13 to face charges of theft and criminal conspiracy and placed in provisional detention. The September 16 break-in at the Natural History Museum in Paris resulted in nearly six kilograms of native gold stolen, with estimated damages of €1.5 million and irreplaceable historical and scientific value. Two museum doors had been cut with a grinder and a display case breached using a blowtorch; tools were recovered. The suspect reportedly left France the day of the theft and was attempting to dispose of nearly one kilogram of melted gold.
Read at The Local France
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