In the wake of the daring jewelery heist at the Louvre, experts have issued a stark warning that museums across the UK are likely to be in the crosshairs of organized crime gangs.
While speaking in an interview with Sky Newsstated Christopher Marinello, a renowned expert in the recovery of stolen art, “If they have successfully robbed the Louvre, they can rob anything. Do you know how many museums there are in Britain?”.
According to Marinello, there are sophisticated “gangs” operating across Europe and nothing is being done to stop them.
He claims it was only a matter of time before they attack a major British institution.
The warning shifts the focus from the single incident in Paris to a wider, systemic threat to European cultural heritage.
The biggest threat, as described by Marinello, is that the precious materials are not targeted by the thieves as a piece of history, but as a raw material.
He described how gold is stolen just to melt it down, and the value of diamonds sunk in their easy sales level, and the criminals do not care about the integrity of the works of art and the cultural heritage.
In the process, priceless artifacts are destroyed forever.
The expert issued a direct appeal to the museum management, urging them to take the threat seriously.
He supported the installation of more sophisticated protection systems and, most importantly, building a safe to display jewelry in cultural institutions.
“Otherwise,” he warned, “they will be taken away, melted down and used.”
The Louvre robbery took place on October 19, when thieves broke into the windows and stole priceless crown jewels in just eight minutes.
While Empress Eugenie’s crown was recovered nearby, the main feature is still missing.
From the museum, tools such as grinders and gas burners were discovered near the site, underscoring that the thieves did not hesitate to use destructive methods to steal valuable items.
The warning comes according to French authorities Reutersdevise a nationwide review of security at cultural sites, a move that UK institutions may now be forced to emulate.
