A few days ago, armed robbers stole part of the Via Vitae sculpture from the French Hieron Museum. The latter is classified by the authorities as a national treasure and is estimated to be worth €7 million.
The robbers were interested in the jewels that adorned the sculpture, created by the famous Parisian jeweler Joseph Chaumet. Using special tools, they sawed through the armored glass, after which they pulled out elements made of gold and ivory, as well as decorations with emeralds.
The Via Vitae sculpture is a three-meter work from 1904, made of precious metals, jewels and ivory, depicting the life of Christ. The work contains 138 figures, encrusted with diamonds and rubies, which are set in marble and alabaster.
“This is a great loss for Paray-le-Monial and for the national heritage,” said the local mayor, Jean-Marc Nesme.
At the time of the robbery, there were visitors in the museum who were injured. However, it is not specified which ones.
The attackers fled on motorcycles, scattering spikes on the road to prevent the pursuit by law enforcement officers.
Source: theguardian.com
