In a bizarre follow-up to the recent Louvre museum heist, France has witnessed yet another high-profile theft — this time at a snail farm. Burglars made off with fresh and frozen snails valued at nearly Rs 93 lakh (around 90,000 euros).

Farm owner Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne, who runs L’Escargot des Grands, said he was left stunned by the robbery, which is believed to have taken place sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. Dauvergne said around 450 kg of snail meat — enough for 10,000 meals — was taken from L’Escargot des Grands.

Restaurant staff say the loss of the premium coral-coloured shellfish — also known as Norwegian lobsters — has sparked concern among London’s culinary community. Elystan Street shared the video on Instagram, appealing for witnesses and expressing hope to “resolve this quickly and fairly.”

“They cut the fence, broke down the door with a crowbar, smashed the light detectors — then helped themselves to what was in my cold storage rooms,” Dauvergne said. He believes the scale of the theft points to a highly organised network.

The stolen snails had been earmarked for Christmas orders from top-tier restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Domaine Les Crayères in Reims, renowned for its signature puff-pastry escargot dish. Calling the theft a “very tough blow,” Dauvergne expressed his distress in a Facebook post.