Five minutes to steal a Renoir: Why museum thefts are becoming bolder across Europe

Brand observes that museums are far more vulnerable to theft than tightly guarded jewellery stores or banks, which today hold minimal cash. Directors historically "never person capable wealth for security" oregon prefer to walk it connected the adjacent exhibition, and museums are often housed in aged buildings that are hard to protect, he adds. For example, the Denis Diderot Maison des Lumières (House of Enlightenment) - burgled hours aft the Louvre - is housed in two 18th-century mansions in Langres. "We truthful person to reconcile modern information requirements with the request to sphere historical buildings and comply with France's practice regulations," section politician Théo Caviezel explains. Museums are also open national spaces that have little entry power and perpetrators can travel in as visitors, says Kumar Sokka, CEO of Acre Security which works with some museums in Europe. And even if a depository is secured well, thieves could still enter armed, Brand says, adding that it would be impractical to station police in galleries. Many of these burglaries are over in minutes and the thieves are long gone by the time police show up - the Renoir case happened in 5 minutes. Heists used to be connected with deception, but burglaries are now becoming increasingly violent, Europol's study past month, external points out. Offenders are