Gallo-Roman gold and silver treasure stolen from Montans archaeological museum

In the night of June 30 to July 1, 2026, thieves broke into the Centre Archéologique de Montans in the Tarn department of France, stealing a pottery containing about forty Gallo-Roman gold coins. The burglars entered by breaking a window, forced the door to the treasure room, and smashed an anti-intrusion grille and a secured display case. The heist took less than 15 minutes, and one aureus was dropped on the road. The stolen coins date from around 50 AD and bear the effigies of four Roman emperors; they were discovered at Montans in the 1990s. The total value is estimated at approximately €120,000, but the archaeological treasure is considered priceless. An alarm triggered at 4:30 AM, and police arrived quickly but could not catch the perpetrators. A complaint has been filed, and an investigation opened by the gendarmerie. Inventory details have been transmitted to border control to prevent the treasure from leaving France, though there is a high risk the coins may be melted down. The museum lacked a video surveillance system but planned to install one soon. Mayor Jonathan Vidal admitted that in hindsight, they should have done it earlier. The theft echoes other recent museum robberies in France, including at the Musée de la Maison des Lumières in Langres, the Musée du Désert in Mialet, the Musée Adrien-Dubouché in Limoges, and the Louvre (where Crown jewels were stolen, leading to the departure of director Laurence des Cars).