2,500-Year-Old Celtic Gold Necklace Stolen in Broad Daylight from French Museum

A 2,500-year-old Celtic gold necklace, a significant piece of the renowned Vix Treasure, was stolen in broad daylight from a museum in Châtillon-sur-Seine, eastern France. The brazen theft occurred on Friday, despite the museum having recently enhanced its security following two attempted nighttime burglaries.

Local officials described the perpetrators as organized, swift, and determined. According to the public prosecutor of Dijon, Olivier Caracotch, the thieves smashed the display case containing the necklace and fled with the artifact. The mayor of the municipality, Jérémie Brigand, emphasized the audacity of the crime, noting it happened "in broad daylight, despite the presence of the public, staff, and security service." Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident.

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These individuals stole the necklace in broad daylight, despite the presence of the public, staff, and security service.

The stolen necklace, weighing approximately half a kilogram, held considerable significance for the Celts and Gauls, serving not only as an adornment but also as a symbol of power. It was a key component of the Vix Treasure, discovered in 1953 within a Celtic princely tomb near the village of Vix. The treasure itself dates back to around 500 BCE.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another high-profile theft in Paris, where jewels valued at 88 million euros were stolen from the Louvre Museum's Apollo Gallery in October 2025. Those stolen items have yet to be recovered, adding to concerns about the security of valuable cultural heritage.

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They smashed the display case where the necklace was exhibited and fled with it.