Christopher Marinello says gangs have been emboldened to strike as a result of “law enforcement has been driven into the ground”.
And whereas headlines have targeted on thieves making off with priceless jewelry from an iconic French establishment, he warns this downside is not confined to Paris.
He stated: “There are gangs operating all over Europe and not enough is being done to stop them … this was only a matter of time, they’ve been hitting small museums.
“If they’ll hit the Louvre efficiently, they’ll hit something. Are you aware what number of museums there are within the UK?”
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Christopher Marinello investigates artwork theft the police aren’t pursuing
Initially of October, on the St Fagans Nationwide Museum of Historical past in Wales, it took simply 4 minutes for audacious thieves to swipe irreplaceable Bronze Age jewelry.
He says gangs are concentrating on gold “just to melt it down” and diamonds for his or her worth – “with no regard for the integrity of the artworks and the cultural heritage that they are destroying”.
A spokesperson for the museum has stated: “We sympathise deeply with our friends at the Louvre … it emphasises the increased risk to organisations like ours … this highlights the dilemma we face between having items on display for people to enjoy and learn from – or keeping them locked away.”
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Louvre: How ‘heist of the century’ unfolded
Mr Marinello, who investigates artwork crimes that the police aren’t pursuing, says establishments and stately properties urgently have to get up to what’s taking place.
“They need to start building vaults for these objects because otherwise they’re going to be taken and melted down and used to buy Lamborghinis or drugs,” he warned.
“If the smaller museums can’t afford it, perhaps they’re going to have to consolidate collections to museums that can handle it.”
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Empress Eugenie’s tiara was among the many jewelry stolen. Pic: Louvre
‘You’ll be able to’t belief anybody’
Mr Marinello went on to warn that gangs have gotten “more brazen” – with the Louvre focused regardless of the safety measures it had in place.
“The system is not working … the penalties are not strong enough … police are frustrated, prosecutors say the same thing because there’s nowhere to put these people.”
The artwork restoration knowledgeable says he is involved how funding cutbacks are making our museums extra weak to those that recognise that the apparent rewards outweigh the dangers.
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The Louvre is without doubt one of the most well-known landmarks in Paris
“These museums are designed to preserve and protect our cultural heritage, and they need to be properly funded to do that job,” he added. “They need to be able to stay one step ahead of the criminals.”
“This is not the 1950s any more, you can’t trust anyone. These items are so valuable, and gold is at an all-time high.
“[Thieves] do not care if an merchandise belonged to Napoleon III, it means nothing to them. All they care about is fast money.”
