Dozens of historic gold coins stolen in Swiss museum heist

Dozens of historic gold coins were stolen Tuesday in a heist from a museum in Switzerland, local police said. The museum was closed Wednesday for an investigation but has since reopened.

Police in Lausanne-Vidy said in a statement that two men bought tickets and entered the Roman Museum around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, lingering until just before closing around 6 p.m.

After the last visitors left, the two men allegedly assaulted and restrained a 64-year-old security guard before then breaking into a display case holding ancient gold coins.

The security guard was able to activate the museum’s panic alarms after the suspects fled, and police quickly responded, but the suspects remain on the run.

“Despite the circumstances, he is safe and sound. No other visitors or staff members were present at the time of the incident,” police said. “The City of Lausanne quickly arranged for psychological support for all museum staff.”

The museum worker and the city of Lausanne have each filed a criminal complaint. Local prosecutors opened an investigation for robbery and damage to property and have entrusted the investigation to police, officials said.

The coins are owned by the canton of Vaud, which will soon also file a criminal complaint, police said. A canton is the equivalent of a state in the Swiss Confederation.

“At this stage, an inventory is being carried out to determine the exact number of items stolen and to identify any other missing items,” police said. “As these are objects of archaeological value, the amount of the loss has not yet been established.”

The Swiss museum is located about 142 miles from the French town of Langres, where thieves made off with another trove of coins from Maison des Lumières Denis Diderot a day after the heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris.