-
La Voie Bleue: European Cycle Route of the Year is in France
700km bike path linking Luxembourg and Lyon has been crowned winner of the 2026 title
-
Before and after: Garonne river floods in south-west France
Satellite images show extent of flooding from back-to-back storms in February
-
Home insurance increases expected in France after floods
Compensation costs for the recent storms and flooding across the west and south-west is estimated to be in the billions of euros
Stolen art found in Louvre loos
Panicky would-be thief dumped statuette worth €400,000 in waste bin after ripping it off its display stand, police say
A VALUABLE 17th-century bronze statuette was stolen from its display in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs on Saturday afternoon.
Fortunately, it was quickly found again - in the museum’s toilets.
The statuette of Samson and the Philistines by Giambologna is said to be worth between €300,000 and €400,000. The museum, within the Louvre, was immediately closed when a security officer reported the 5kg sculpture missing at 4.30pm.
Visitors were searched, but none of them had the expensive artwork, which was finally found dumped in a waste bin in the lavatories.
Police believe the would-be thief panicked shortly after taking the item and quickly dumped it. They also say the criminal was captured on surveillance cameras, but has not yet been arrested.
The museum reopened to visitors on Sunday, though the room in which the theft occurred remained closed as investigations continued.
Advertisement
