Can France Retrieve Its Priceless Crown Jewels – Or Has It Become Too Late?
Law enforcement in France are urgently trying to retrieve extremely valuable treasures taken from the Paris museum in a audacious daylight robbery, yet authorities have warned it may already be past the point of recovery to get them back.
At the heart of Paris on Sunday, burglars broke into the world's most-visited museum, making off with eight valued items then fleeing using scooters in a audacious theft that was completed in just minutes.
Dutch art detective Arthur Brand stated publicly he believes the jewels could be "dispersed", once separated into many fragments.
It is highly likely the pieces may be disposed of for a small part of their true price and taken out of the country, additional specialists noted.
Who May Be Behind the Theft
The thieves were professionals, as the detective stated, shown by the fact they were through the museum of the museum in record time.
"As you might expect, as a normal person, you don't wake up one day thinking, I will become a thief, choosing as first target the world-famous museum," he said.
"This isn't their first heist," he added. "They have done other burglaries. They're self-assured and they thought, we might get away with this plan, and took the chance."
In another sign the expertise of the group is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "proven effectiveness in solving significant crimes" has been tasked with finding them.
Law enforcement have indicated they suspect the robbery is linked to a criminal organization.
Sophisticated gangs like these typically have two main goals, legal official Laure Beccuau explained. "Either they operate for the benefit of a client, or to secure valuable gems to conduct money laundering operations."
The expert believes it seems extremely difficult to market the jewels as complete pieces, and he explained targeted robbery for an individual buyer is a scenario that only happens in Hollywood films.
"Few people wish to handle an item so identifiable," he elaborated. "It cannot be shown to your friends, you can't bequeath it to your children, you cannot sell it."
Potential £10m Price Tag
Mr Brand believes the objects will be dismantled and separated, along with gold elements and silver components melted and the precious stones re-cut into smaller components that would be nearly impossible to track back to the Paris heist.
Jewellery historian an authority in the field, host of the podcast focusing on gemstones and formerly worked as the prestigious publication's gemstone expert for many years, stated the thieves had "carefully selected" the most significant gemstones from the Louvre's collection.
The "impressively sized flawless stones" will probably be removed of their mountings and marketed, she noted, with the exception of the headpiece of the historical figure which has smaller stones mounted in it and proved to be "too dangerous to possess," she added.
This could explain why they left it behind during the escape, in addition to another piece, and recovered by police.
Empress Eugenie's tiara which was stolen, has rare organic pearls which command enormous prices, specialists confirm.
While the items are considered being priceless, Ms Woolton believes they will be disposed of for a small percentage of their value.
"They'll likely end up to buyers who is willing to take possession," she explained. "Authorities worldwide will search for these items – they'll settle for whatever price is offered."
What specific amount might they bring as payment when disposed of? Concerning the potential value of the loot, Mr Brand said the separated elements might value "multiple millions."
The jewels and gold stolen might achieve as much as £10 million (€11.52m; $13.4m), says Tobias Kormind, managing director of 77 Diamonds, an online jeweller.
He told the BBC the gang will require a skilled expert to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to modify the more noticeable pieces.
Smaller stones that were harder to trace might be marketed quickly and although difficult to estimate the exact price of all the stones removed, the larger ones might value approximately half a million pounds for individual pieces, he noted.
"There are a minimum of four of that size, thus totaling each of them along with the precious metal, one could estimate approaching ten million," he said.
"The jewelry and luxury goods trade is active and numerous purchasers exist in less regulated areas that won't inquire regarding sources."
Some optimism remains that the artifacts may be found intact one day – yet this possibility are narrowing with each passing day.
Historical examples exist – a jewelry display at the V&A Museum features a piece of jewelry stolen in 1948 that later resurfaced in a sale several decades later.
What is certain is many in France are deeply shocked about the museum robbery, demonstrating a personal connection to the jewels.
"We don't necessarily like jewellery as it symbolizes a matter concerning power, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation among French people," Alexandre Leger, head of heritage at established French company the prestigious firm, stated
