Will France Get Back Its Precious Crown Jewels – Or Is It Too Late?
French authorities are urgently trying to retrieve extremely valuable treasures robbed from the Louvre in a audacious broad daylight theft, but experts have warned it may already be past the point of recovery to recover them.
At the heart of Paris over the weekend, burglars broke into the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight valued items and getting away using scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately just minutes.
Expert art detective an expert in the field expressed his view he suspects the artifacts may already be "long gone", once separated into numerous components.
Experts suggest the pieces will be sold for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from the country, additional specialists have said.
Potential Suspects Behind the Robbery
The perpetrators acted professionally, according to the expert, shown by the fact they were in and out of the Louvre in record time.
"As you might expect, for regular people, one doesn't just get up overnight believing, I will become a thief, and begin with the Louvre Museum," he noted.
"This likely isn't their initial robbery," he continued. "They've committed previous crimes. They feel certain and they calculated, it might work out with this plan, and proceeded."
Additionally demonstrating the expertise of the gang is treated as important, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in cracking significant crimes" has been given responsibility with locating the perpetrators.
Authorities have stated they suspect the robbery is linked to a sophisticated gang.
Organised crime groups like these generally have two objectives, legal official a senior official explained. "Either to act on behalf of a client, or to obtain precious stones to carry out illegal financial activities."
The expert believes it seems highly unlikely to sell the items as complete pieces, and he noted targeted robbery for a private collector is something that typically occurs in fictional stories.
"Nobody wants to handle a piece this recognizable," he stated. "It cannot be shown to acquaintances, you can't bequeath it to your children, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Price Tag
Mr Brand believes the artifacts will be taken apart and disassembled, including the gold and silver components melted and the gems divided into smaller components that would be nearly impossible to trace back to the museum theft.
Historical jewelry specialist a renowned expert, who presents the podcast about historical jewelry and formerly worked as the famous fashion magazine's jewellery editor for 20 years, stated the robbers had "carefully selected" the most important jewels from the museum's holdings.
The "magnificent exquisite jewels" would likely be removed from their settings and disposed of, she said, excluding the headpiece of the historical figure which features less valuable pieces set in it and was considered "too hot to possess," she explained.
This potentially clarifies why they left it behind while fleeing, along with one other item, and found by authorities.
The royal crown which was stolen, has rare authentic pearls which are incredibly valuable, experts say.
Although the artifacts have been described as being priceless, the expert anticipates they will be disposed of for a minimal part of their true price.
"They will go to someone who are able to handle these," she stated. "Authorities worldwide will search for the stolen goods – they will take what they can get."
The precise value might they bring in money if sold on? Regarding the potential value of the stolen goods, Mr Brand indicated the separated elements may amount to "several million."
The precious stones and removed precious metal might achieve as much as ten million pounds (millions in euros; thirteen million dollars), according to Tobias Kormind, senior official of a prominent jeweler, a digital jewelry retailer.
He stated the gang will require a trained specialist to extract the stones, and a professional diamond cutter to change the larger recognisable stones.
Less noticeable gems that were not easily identifiable could be sold right away and despite challenges to determine the exact price of all the stones taken, the larger ones could be worth approximately a significant amount per stone, he explained.
"There are a minimum of four comparable in size, so adding each of them along with the precious metal, it's likely coming close to ten million," he stated.
"The jewelry and precious stone industry is liquid and numerous purchasers exist on the fringes that don't ask about origins."
Hope persists that the stolen goods could reappear in original condition eventually – but those hopes are narrowing with each passing day.
There is a precedent – a historical showcase at the V&A Museum includes a piece of jewelry taken decades ago that later resurfaced in a public event many years after.
What is certain includes the French public are extremely upset regarding the theft, expressing a personal connection with the artifacts.
"There isn't always like jewellery because it's a matter concerning privilege, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation among French people," a jewelry authority, director of historical collections at Parisian jewelry house the prestigious firm, said