Priceless National Treasure Stolen in Armed French Museum Heist

Four thieves targeted the Hiéron Museum in Paray-le-Monial, stealing parts of a €7 million masterpiece by Joseph Chaumet after a violent and meticulously planned robbery.

The robbery occurred on Thursday afternoon at the Hiéron Museum, one of France's oldest museums for sacred art, located in Paray-le-Monial, central France.
The thieves, arriving on motorbikes, fired shots and used power tools to break through armored glass protecting the 1904 masterpiece 'Via Vitae' by renowned goldsmith Joseph Chaumet.
They stole gold and ivory figurines, emerald decorations, and parts of the marble base from the 3-meter-tall artwork, which depicts the life of Christ and is valued at up to €7 million.
The gang scattered spikes on the road during their escape, disabling two police vehicles and highlighting the operation's advanced planning.
This is the latest in a series of thefts targeting French museums, with the Hiéron Museum previously robbed in 2017 and a separate Paris museum hit earlier this week.