Will France Get Back Its Priceless Crown Jewels – Or Is It Too Late?
Police in France are urgently trying to recover extremely valuable jewels robbed from the Louvre Museum in a brazen broad daylight theft, although specialists are concerned it may already be impossible to save them.
At the heart of Paris on Sunday, robbers entered by force the most popular museum globally, making off with eight valued items and getting away on scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately just minutes.
Dutch art detective an expert in the field stated publicly he feared the stolen items could be "long gone", after being taken apart into hundreds of parts.
It is highly likely the artifacts will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and illegally transported from France, other experts have said.
Possible Culprits Behind the Theft
The group acted professionally, Mr Brand believes, as demonstrated by the fact they were inside and outside of the museum so quickly.
"Realistically speaking, for regular people, you don't wake up overnight believing, I should become a thief, choosing as first target the Louvre Museum," he explained.
"This likely isn't their first heist," he continued. "They've carried out other burglaries. They are confident and they thought, we might get away with this plan, and proceeded."
Additionally demonstrating the expertise of the thieves is considered significant, a specialist police unit with a "proven effectiveness in resolving high-profile robberies" has been assigned with finding them.
Authorities have stated they believe the theft is linked to a criminal organization.
Organised crime groups like these generally have two primary purposes, legal official the prosecutor stated. "Either they operate for the benefit of a financier, or to acquire expensive jewelry to conduct financial crimes."
The expert believes it would be impossible to market the jewels intact, and he noted stealing-to-order for a private collector is something that mainly exists in fictional stories.
"No one desires to acquire a piece so hot," he explained. "You cannot show it to your friends, you cannot leave it to heirs, there's no market for it."
Potential £10m Price Tag
The detective suggests the objects are likely broken down and broken up, with the gold and precious metals liquefied and the precious stones cut up into smaller stones that could be virtually impossible to connect to the museum theft.
Gemstone expert Carol Woolton, who presents the digital series If Jewels Could Talk and previously served as the prestigious publication's jewelry specialist for many years, stated the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most valuable treasures from the museum's holdings.
The "beautiful large exquisite jewels" would likely be removed from their settings and marketed, she explained, with the exception of the headpiece of the historical figure which contains smaller gems set in it and proved to be "too dangerous to handle," she added.
This potentially clarifies the reason it was abandoned as they got away, together with one other item, and recovered by police.
The royal crown that disappeared, features exceptionally uncommon authentic pearls which are incredibly valuable, experts say.
Although the artifacts are considered being priceless, the historian believes they could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.
"They will go to buyers who is willing to handle these," she stated. "Authorities worldwide will search for these – they'll settle for whatever price is offered."
The precise value might they bring in money if sold on? When asked about the possible worth of the stolen goods, the expert indicated the dismantled components may amount to "multiple millions."
The jewels and gold stolen might achieve approximately ten million pounds (millions in euros; thirteen million dollars), stated by a jewelry specialist, senior official of an established company, an online jeweller.
The expert explained the thieves will require an experienced professional to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to modify the more noticeable pieces.
Less noticeable gems that were harder to trace could be sold quickly and while it was hard to tell the precise value of each piece removed, the more significant gems might value about a significant amount per stone, he noted.
"Reports indicate no fewer than four comparable in size, therefore combining all of those up plus the precious metal, it's likely coming close to ten million," he concluded.
"The jewelry and gemstone market has buyers and plenty of customers operate on the fringes that avoid questioning too many questions."
Hope persists that the items may be found undamaged one day – yet this possibility are diminishing with each passing day.
Historical examples exist – the Cartier exhibition at the V&A Museum features an item of jewellery stolen in 1948 which eventually returned in an auction much later.
Definitely includes the French public are extremely upset about the museum robbery, demonstrating a personal connection to the jewels.
"French people don't always like jewellery because it's a matter concerning power, and this isn't typically receive favorable interpretation in France," a heritage expert, curatorial leader at French jeweller Maison Vever, said