Pricy heists: From Paris to Pringle Bay, high-value treasures must be protected

In a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster, thieves pulled off a brazen jewellery heist at the Louvre in Paris on Sunday, making off with priceless historical pieces, including a sapphire and diamond tiara once belonging to Empress Eugénie and jewels from Napoleon’s wedding gift set to his wife Marie-Louise. Using angle grinders, scooters and a crane, the robbers managed to steal what officials have called objects of significant financial value and “inestimable” national importance.

According to reports, this daring theft may point to a pattern: as high-end jewellery stores become increasingly fortified, organised crime rings are turning their attention to museums and galleries, where valuable items are often less protected. In 2024, for instance, another museum theft in Paris triggered an insurance payout of £3 million to the Royal Collection Trust, after robbers smashed display cases and made off with two royal artefacts; old snuff boxes adorned with gold and diamonds.

“For collectors, art lovers and owners of fine jewellery, the risk to high-value assets is not limited to museums or public institutions. The same threats, theft, damage, or loss, apply to private collections, whether they’re kept in safes at home, displayed on walls, worn, or loaned out for exhibition,” says Tarina Vlok, MD of Elite Risk Acceptances, a high-net-worth insurer and subsidiary of Old Mutual Insure.

In August this year, the quiet coastal town of Pringle Bay made headlines after a R1 million art heist at the FOMO Fine Art Gallery. Thieves stole seven sculptures by renowned South African artists Anton Smit and Janko de Beer in what authorities believe was a carefully planned operation. The scale and precision of the theft, involving heavy, outdoor artworks, suggested organised intent rather than opportunism.

Vlok says that these cases likely point to a growing sophistication in criminal networks targeting high-value possessions and objects of art, whether held in private homes, galleries, or museums.

Protecting collectible assets

She says that while typical domestic policies are designed to cover a home and what’s inside, there is sometimes limited coverage for valuable possessions that may get lost, stolen, or damaged.

“Speak to your broker or insurer to find out what is the best way to accommodate high value items,” says Vlok, adding that not all insurance policies provide the same level of coverage.

She says that there are risks that collectors face when purchasing one-of-a-kind pieces, including damage during transit if purchased at auctions, or from incidents like fire, water, or theft.

“Remember too that you need to take adequate safety and security precautions around your home as theft of high value items remains a significant threat in South Africa,” says Vlok, adding that for collectible jewellery, safes are important. “Some insurers may also further specify whether your home safe needs to be wall or floor mounted.”

Below are Vlok’s top tips on protecting high value items:

• Don’t fall into the trap of undervaluing your jewellery or art collection in an attempt to save on the premium. This may cost you at claims stage.
• Rare pieces of jewellery need insurance that covers a wide range of risks such as theft and damage. Make sure your policy considers both the market value and the replacement value of the item.
• Remember that some art doesn’t appreciate, but it still needs insurance. Many professional sculptors make larger-than-life pieces, which are then displayed in gardens. How to insure such a piece? Speak to your insurer or broker to make sure it is correctly covered. If you move and you take it with you, then it would be covered under your contents section. It is also important that your insurer knows you have art that is kept outdoors, and you would need to make sure that the piece is designed to live outside.
• Make sure you take adequate steps in keeping an item safe. If your jewellery items are kept in a bank vault, you may pay a lower premium, but your insurer may require you to notify them every time you remove it from the bank vault to wear. If you fail to comply, they may not pay you out if you suffer a loss.
• Get an appraisal of your rare items from a specialist appraiser. If the item is a valuable piece of jewellery, don’t spare the cost of obtaining a specialist valuation certificate. Without a valuation certificate, you run the risk of limited or even no insurance payout in the event of loss or damage.
• Remember when buying collectible or rare pieces, while it may not be a legal requirement to insist on a certificate of provenance, your insurer is likely to insist on it before insuring it.

“Owners should ensure their security measures and insurance coverage truly reflect the value and risk profile of their collections,” says Vlok. “This is especially relevant as we approach silly season, where targeted crime and opportunism often go hand in hand. It is important to remember that criminals take advantage of holiday goers, empty homes and relaxed vigilance during the festive season.”