A series of recent art thefts in France has raised concerns about the protection of the nation's cultural treasures. In one incident, two men wearing wigs used a sledgehammer and a regular hammer to break into a museum in eastern France, smashing a display case and stealing a 2,500-year-old gold necklace in under four minutes. In another museum, three masked individuals broke through two doors, stealing 27 pieces of jewelry valued at over 4.5 million euros (about $5.2 million). These thefts occurred in July. This week, thieves cut through a fence and climbed into a museum on the French Riviera, taking two paintings by renowned Impressionist artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir and abandoning two other works by the same artist. The Renoir heist took less than three minutes. These recent crimes follow a major theft at the Louvre in 2023, where 88 million euros ($102 million) worth of crown jewels were stolen. The loss was described as tragic, as the jewels could have been melted down for their gold content. Guillaume Poitrinal, president of the Fondation du patrimoine, a foundation that supports French cultural heritage, has called for increased investment in security to protect these valuable artifacts. The Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer was specifically targeted by thieves who used an electric knife or saw to cut through a fence and entered through a ground-floor window. The stolen artworks were estimated to be worth 9 million euros ($10.5 million). According to Europol, the European police agency, museum heists are becoming more violent, with thieves using tools like sledgehammers, axes, crowbars, and even explosives. Increasingly, robbers target items containing gold and gemstones that can be melted down or sold for quick cash. This summer saw a record 10 burglaries at museums across France and other European countries, according to Jean-Christophe Castelain, director of Le Journal des Arts. Eight of those thefts involved jewelry, coins, or antique objects that are easy to melt down. The Lalique Museum in Wingen-sur-Moder, near the French-German border, has remained closed since a July 5 theft in which jewelry was stolen from six display cases. The museum’s director, Véronique Brumm Schaich, expressed deep concern over the evolving tactics of the thieves. Due to government budget limitations, the museum is seeking 200,000 euros ($233,000) for improved security and is collecting private donations. The Fondation du patrimoine, which funds museums, relies in part on a national lottery for support. The foundation is now launching a subscription pass that will grant access to 500 museums, monuments, and châteaux, aiming to increase revenue. Poitrinal emphasized that protecting cultural heritage is a shared responsibility.