Europol Warns of Increasingly Violent Museum Robberies Across Europe

Europol has released a new report detailing a concerning shift in the tactics used by criminals targeting European museums. The report, published on Monday, highlights a move away from the traditionally non-violent, highly specialized thefts towards more brutal and less skilled attacks. Criminals are now using sledgehammers, axes, explosives, and even firearms to steal gold, jewelry, precious stones, and antiquities, which are valued for their ease of resale on the illegal market. The report cites recent incidents, including robberies at the Drents Museum in Assen and the Parisian museums Cognacq-Jay and the Louvre, as examples of this new trend. Europol notes that these new perpetrators are less specialized and more willing to use violence, marking a significant transformation in the nature of art crime in Europe.