Is France Able to Get Back Its Priceless Royal Gems – Or Is It Too Late?
French authorities are making every effort to recover irreplaceable gemstones robbed from the Paris museum in a brazen daytime heist, yet authorities are concerned it may already be past the point of recovery to recover them.
In Paris over the weekend, burglars gained access to the most popular museum globally, stealing eight valued items and getting away using scooters in a daring heist that was completed in just minutes.
Expert art detective an expert in the field told the BBC he feared the artifacts could be "long gone", after being taken apart into numerous components.
Experts suggest the stolen jewels may be disposed of for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from French territory, several authorities noted.
Possible Culprits Behind the Robbery
The group were professionals, as the detective stated, evidenced by the way they managed inside and outside of the building in record time.
"As you might expect, for an average individual, one doesn't just get up one day planning, I should become a burglar, let's start with the Louvre," he explained.
"This won't be the first time they've done this," he added. "They have done other burglaries. They feel certain and they thought, it might work out with this plan, and went for it."
As further evidence the expertise of the thieves is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "strong track record in resolving high-profile robberies" has been assigned with locating the perpetrators.
Authorities have said they think the robbery is linked to a criminal organization.
Sophisticated gangs of this type generally have two objectives, French prosecutor a senior official explained. "Either to act for the benefit of a sponsor, or to obtain expensive jewelry to conduct illegal financial activities."
Mr Brand thinks it seems highly unlikely to sell the items in their original form, and he said commissioned theft for a specific client is a scenario that mainly exists in fictional stories.
"No one desires to acquire a piece so hot," he elaborated. "You can't display it to your friends, you can't bequeath it to heirs, there's no market for it."
Possible £10m Worth
The expert thinks the artifacts will be dismantled and broken up, along with gold elements and precious metals liquefied and the gems re-cut into smaller stones that would be nearly impossible to trace back to the museum theft.
Gemstone expert an authority in the field, who presents the podcast about historical jewelry and was the famous fashion magazine's jewelry specialist for many years, told the BBC the thieves had "carefully selected" the most important treasures from the institution's artifacts.
The "magnificent perfect gems" are expected to be extracted of their mountings and sold, she noted, except for the tiara belonging to the French empress which has smaller stones mounted in it and was considered "too recognizable to possess," she added.
This might account for the reason it was abandoned during the escape, together with another piece, and found by authorities.
The royal crown which was stolen, features exceptionally uncommon organic pearls which have a very large value, specialists confirm.
Even though the pieces are regarded as being priceless, the expert expects them will be disposed of for a minimal part of their true price.
"They're destined to someone who are able to take possession," she explained. "Many people will seek for these items – they'll settle for whatever price is offered."
The precise value might they bring financially when disposed of? When asked about the possible worth of the haul, the expert indicated the separated elements might value "many millions."
The jewels and removed precious metal could fetch up to £10 million (€11.52m; thirteen million dollars), stated by an industry expert, senior official of an established company, an internet-based gem dealer.
He stated the thieves would need a skilled expert to remove the gems, and a professional diamond cutter to alter the larger recognisable stones.
Minor components that were not easily identifiable would be disposed of right away and despite challenges to estimate the specific worth of each piece removed, the more significant gems may amount to around £500,000 per stone, he noted.
"Reports indicate at least four that large, so adding all those pieces together with the precious metal, one could estimate approaching £10m," he stated.
"The diamond and precious stone industry has buyers and numerous purchasers exist on the fringes that won't inquire regarding sources."
There are hopes that the artifacts could reappear undamaged one day – yet this possibility are narrowing with each passing day.
There is a precedent – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution features an item of jewellery taken decades ago which eventually returned in a sale many years after.
Without doubt includes the French public are extremely upset about the museum robbery, expressing an emotional attachment to the jewels.
"We don't necessarily like jewellery because it's an issue of power, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation within French culture," a heritage expert, head of heritage at established French company the historical business, said