Europe is seeing a surge in ever more violent thefts from its museums as criminal gangs look to cash in on priceless artifacts.

Police service Europol has issued the warning as it published a new report which reveals a shift in the methods and targets of museum thefts across Europe. The report highlights a concerning rise in violent and forceful tactics, alongside a growing focus on high-value items such as precious metals, gemstones, and culturally significant artefacts.

The spotlight report titled Changing tactics, changing targets: the evolving nature of museum heists, found:

• Increasing violence: Museum thefts are becoming more aggressive, with offenders using tools like sledgehammers, explosives, and firearms to breach premises and intimidate staff.
• Targeted high-value items: Thieves are increasingly focusing on precious metals, gemstones, and culturally significant artefacts, driven by high market demand and ease of illicit resale.
• Emerging criminal profiles: The report suggests the involvement of new criminal actors, including ad-hoc groups recruited via social media, deviating from traditional, non-violent cultural property traffickers.
• Cross-market opportunities: Some offenders appear to be opportunists from other criminal sectors, drawn by the low-risk, high-profit potential of museum heists.

To underline these findings, the report features notable cases such as the Dacian artefacts theft (Netherlands, 2025), the Louvre heist (France, 2025), and the Cognacq-Jay Museum attack (France, 2024).

Europol added: “Thefts in museums are generally regarded as a non-violent form of organised property crime. Perpetrators rely on deception and stealth, using tactics like reconnaissance and discreet execution. This approach was evident, for instance, in the 2024 large-scale theft of valuable books from various libraries across the EU, where perpetrators acted discreetly, replacing originals with counterfeit copies to avoid detection.

“However, recent reporting from Member States and ongoing investigations indicate a shift in both methods and targeting. Offenders are adopting more direct and confrontational approaches and focusing on specific categories of cultural artefacts.”

It explained tactics have changed.

“Recent cases reported by national authorities show a growing use of force during museum thefts,” the report stated. “Offenders are breaching premises and display cases using tools such as sledgehammers, axes, crowbars and, in some instances, explosives.

“In some cases, offenders use firearms to intimidate security personnel and visitors. Some museum thefts have involved direct physical assaults on staff such as tying them up or using brute force against them.”

Precious metals, such as gold and silver, and jewellery with precious stones have likely become preferred targets due to their increasing value.

“Precious metals can be easily melted down, leaving no trace for law enforcement, and facilitating illicit sales during the fencing process,” The report continued. “Precious stones in jewellery, on the other hand, can be easily removed and sold further. 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.

“ 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.”