Chinese woman charged with stealing gold nuggets from a museum in Paris

Gold Theft at Paris Museum

A Chinese woman has been charged by a Paris judge regarding the alleged theft of nearly $2 million in gold bullion from the National Museum of Natural History. The stolen items include artifacts that date back to the California Gold Rush.

The Paris public prosecutor’s office announced on Tuesday that the 24-year-old suspect faces charges of organized theft and criminal conspiracy related to the robbery that occurred on September 16. She was taken into custody two weeks later in Barcelona, Spain, just as she was planning to return to China.

According to prosecutors, cleaning staff alerted museum curators on the morning of the robbery. They discovered debris and noticed that gold bars were missing, including an 11-pound bar from Australia and other significant pieces linked to the mid-1800s California gold rush, as well as a gift from Tsar Nicholas I of Russia dated 1833.

Investigations revealed that two doors of the museum had been forcibly opened using a circular saw. Authorities noted that a display case in the mineral gallery, which housed nuggets, was destroyed using a torch.

Tools found at the scene included a screwdriver, a saw, a torch, and three gas canisters meant for the torch, prosecutors reported.

Security footage captured an individual entering the museum forcefully around 1 a.m. on the day of the incident. The financial loss from the missing gold is estimated at about $1.74 million, with additional damage costing around $58,000. Authorities underscored that the historical and scientific value of the stolen items is beyond measure.

When arrested in Barcelona, the suspect was reportedly found attempting to dispose of approximately 2 pounds of molten gold. The investigation continues as officials seek to locate the stolen artifacts and determine if there were any accomplices involved.