🔗 Share this article

French authorities are desperate to recover extremely valuable jewels stolen from the Louvre in a daring broad daylight theft, yet authorities are concerned it could be too late to recover them.

Within the French capital over the weekend, thieves broke into the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight valued items then fleeing via motor scooters in a daring heist that lasted approximately eight minutes.

Dutch art detective an expert in the field expressed his view he feared the artifacts could be "already dismantled", having been broken up into hundreds of parts.

It is highly likely the pieces will be sold for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from France, additional specialists indicated.

Potential Suspects Behind the Robbery

The perpetrators are experienced criminals, as the detective stated, as demonstrated by the way they managed through the museum of the museum with such efficiency.

"As you might expect, for an average individual, one doesn't just get up one day believing, I should become a thief, let's start with the Louvre," he noted.

"This likely isn't their initial robbery," he said. "They have done things before. They are confident and they calculated, we could succeed with this plan, and went for it."

Additionally demonstrating the professionalism of the group is considered significant, a specialist police unit with a "high success rate in cracking high-profile robberies" has been assigned with tracking them down.

Law enforcement have indicated they suspect the robbery is connected to a sophisticated gang.

Criminal organizations such as these usually pursue two objectives, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor stated. "Either they operate for the benefit of a financier, or to secure expensive jewelry to carry out illegal financial activities."

The detective suggests it seems extremely difficult to sell the items intact, and he noted targeted robbery for an individual buyer is a scenario that mainly exists in movies.

"No one desires to acquire an item this recognizable," he stated. "You can't display it publicly, you cannot leave it to family, you cannot sell it."

Potential £10m Worth

Mr Brand believes the objects are likely broken down and separated, including the gold and precious metals liquefied and the gems re-cut into smaller stones that could be nearly impossible to connect to the Paris heist.

Gemstone expert a renowned expert, creator of the audio program If Jewels Could Talk and previously served as the prestigious publication's jewelry specialist for two decades, told the BBC the thieves had "cherry-picked" the most valuable jewels from the Louvre's collection.

The "impressively sized perfect gems" would likely be dug out of their mountings and sold, she noted, excluding the tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie which has smaller stones set in it and proved to be "too recognizable to keep," she added.

This might account for why it was dropped as they got away, along with another piece, and located by officials.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that disappeared, features exceptionally uncommon authentic pearls which command enormous prices, experts say.

Although the artifacts are considered having immeasurable worth, Ms Woolton anticipates they to be sold for a minimal part of their true price.

"They're destined to individuals who are able to take possession," she stated. "Many people will seek for these items – they will take whatever price is offered."

How much exactly would they generate financially upon being marketed? When asked about the possible worth of the haul, the detective indicated the dismantled components could be worth "many millions."

The jewels and gold stolen could fetch as much as ten million pounds (millions in euros; millions in US currency), says an industry expert, managing director of 77 Diamonds, a digital jewelry retailer.

The expert explained the thieves must have a skilled expert to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to modify the larger recognisable stones.

Minor components that were harder to trace would be disposed of immediately and although difficult to estimate the specific worth of all the stones taken, the bigger stones could be worth about half a million pounds each, he noted.

"There are a minimum of four that large, thus totaling all of those up plus the gold, it's likely approaching the estimated figure," he said.

"The diamond and precious stone industry has buyers and plenty of customers operate within gray markets that avoid questioning too many questions."

Some optimism remains that the items may be found intact in the future – although such expectations are narrowing over time.

Similar cases have occurred – a jewelry display at the cultural institution includes an artifact stolen in 1948 before reappearing in a public event much later.

Without doubt are numerous French citizens are deeply shocked regarding the theft, expressing an emotional attachment toward the treasures.

"French people don't always appreciate jewelry as it symbolizes a question of power, and this isn't typically receive favorable interpretation within French culture," Alexandre Leger, curatorial leader at French jeweller the historical business, stated