Isère (F): Princess Mathilde Bonaparte’s jewels stolen from museum

The jewels of Princess Mathilde Bonaparte (1820-1904), a cousin of Napoleon III, were stolen overnight from Saturday to Sunday. Hebert Museum At La Tronche, near Grenoble, we learned from concurring sources. The facts were discovered when the building alarm went off just after 5am. “Museum staff came to the site and got two people on board,” said a source familiar with the matter.

“The thieves used a ladder to break down the shutters of the room where the jewels were kept,” which was “property of the Fondation de France and loaned by the Musée d’Orsay,” noted Grenoble public prosecutor Eric Wieland for his part. , in a press release. The extent of the damage was not specified. The Magistrate added that the investigation has been handed over to the Judicial Police.

“We are at the disposal of justice and investigators, and we regret this attack on cultural heritage,” replied a spokesman for the Hébert Museum. According to the latter, who did not want to give further details, the stolen jewels are part of a permanent exhibition at the Isère museum.

Opened in 1979, the Hébert Museum is located in the summer home of painter Ernst Hébert (1817-1908) in over two hectares of parkland. Exhibiting works by the artist, its collections are enriched with deposits from national museums, particularly the Louvre Museum, Marseilles and Grenoble Museums, according to the museum’s website.