Jewellery worth millions stolen in French museum burglary

Jewellery worth millions of euros was stolen in a burglary at the museum of French luxury glassmaker Lalique on Sunday, the company and an investigation source said.

The thief or thieves broke in to the museum in Wingen-sur-Moder in northeastern France around 5:30 am (0330 GMT) and headed straight for the jewellery room, the source close to the investigation told AFP.

"Around twenty pieces of jewellery were stolen. The loss is currently being assessed but could amount to several million euros, likely close to four million," the source said.

The museum said on its website that it will be closed for several days because of the burglary.

"An alarm went off, but by the time the security company had completed its checks, it was a cleaning lady who arrived first on the scene and called the police," the investigation source added.

The CCTV footage is currently being examined.

The museum, dedicated to the Art Nouveau and Art Deco jeweller and glassmaker Rene Lalique, was opened in 2011 near the company's factory.

A dramatic daytime jewel heist at the Louvre museum in Paris in October last year put security at French museums and galleries under the spotlight.

Thieves made off with $102 million worth of jewellery from the Louvre in a raid lasting less than eight minutes.