According to French officials, the thieves broke into the museum’s geology and mineralogy collections, targeting the shimmering gold specimens on display. The hit went down in the early hours, leaving behind smashed cases and a whole lot of questions about museum security. Police say the value of the stolen stash is estimated at around $700,000 — not pocket change, even in the City of Lights. The investigation is now in the hands of France’s organized crime squad, who are scrambling to trace the missing treasure. Museum staff stressed that no visitors or employees were harmed, but the embarrassment is real. A place that guards fossils millions of years old just got outsmarted by a crew of thieves with an angle grinder, blowtorch and a plan.