🔗 Share this article

French authorities are making every effort to recover extremely valuable gemstones robbed from the Louvre Museum in a brazen daytime heist, although specialists caution it may already be too late to recover them.

At the heart of Paris this past Sunday, burglars entered by force the world's most-visited museum, taking eight cherished pieces then fleeing via motor scooters in a daring heist that lasted approximately eight minutes.

Dutch art detective a renowned specialist expressed his view he believes the stolen items are likely "long gone", after being taken apart into numerous components.

There is a strong chance the stolen jewels will be sold for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from the country, other experts indicated.

Possible Culprits Behind the Heist

The group were professionals, as the detective stated, as demonstrated by the way they managed in and out of the building in record time.

"Realistically speaking, for an average individual, one doesn't just get up one day planning, I will become a thief, and begin with the world-famous museum," he explained.

"This likely isn't their first heist," he said. "They have done other burglaries. They're self-assured and they believed, it might work out with this attempt, and took the chance."

Additionally demonstrating the professionalism of the gang is treated as important, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in cracking major theft cases" has been assigned with finding them.

Authorities have said they suspect the theft relates to a sophisticated gang.

Criminal organizations such as these typically have two primary purposes, French prosecutor the prosecutor stated. "Either to act on behalf of a client, or to secure valuable gems to conduct money laundering operations."

Mr Brand thinks it seems impossible to sell the items intact, and he said stealing-to-order for a private collector is a scenario that typically occurs in fictional stories.

"No one desires to touch an artifact so identifiable," he elaborated. "It cannot be shown to acquaintances, it cannot be passed to heirs, it cannot be sold."

Potential £10m Value

Mr Brand believes the stolen items will be dismantled and broken up, including the gold and silver melted down and the jewels re-cut into smaller stones that could be extremely difficult to connect to the Paris heist.

Gemstone expert a renowned expert, who presents the digital series If Jewels Could Talk and previously served as the famous fashion magazine's jewellery editor for two decades, explained the robbers had "cherry-picked" the most valuable treasures from the museum's holdings.

The "magnificent exquisite jewels" will probably be removed of their mountings and sold, she noted, with the exception of the crown from Empress Eugénie which has smaller stones set in it and proved to be "too hot to possess," she explained.

This potentially clarifies why they left it behind while fleeing, in addition to a second artifact, and located by officials.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that disappeared, contains extremely rare authentic pearls which have a very large value, specialists confirm.

Even though the pieces are considered being beyond valuation, Ms Woolton expects them to be sold for a fraction of their worth.

"They'll likely end up to individuals who are prepared to take possession," she explained. "Many people will seek for these items – they will take any amount available."

The precise value would they generate as payment upon being marketed? Regarding the possible worth of the loot, Mr Brand indicated the separated elements may amount to "multiple millions."

The gems and taken gold could fetch up to £10 million (€11.52m; thirteen million dollars), according to a jewelry specialist, senior official of an established company, an online jeweller.

He told the BBC the perpetrators would need an experienced professional to extract the stones, and a professional diamond cutter to alter the bigger identifiable gems.

Less noticeable gems that were not easily identifiable might be marketed quickly and although difficult to determine the exact price of each piece taken, the larger ones may amount to approximately a significant amount for individual pieces, he explained.

"We know there are a minimum of four comparable in size, therefore combining all those pieces up plus the gold, you are probably coming close to the estimated figure," he stated.

"The diamond and gemstone market is liquid and there are many buyers in less regulated areas that won't inquire about origins."

Hope persists that the items might resurface in original condition eventually – although such expectations are narrowing as the days pass.

Historical examples exist – a jewelry display at the V&A Museum features an item of jewellery previously stolen that later resurfaced in an auction many years after.

Definitely is many in France are extremely upset about the museum robbery, expressing an emotional attachment toward the treasures.

"French people don't always value gems since it represents a matter concerning privilege, and that doesn't necessarily carry positive associations among French people," Alexandre Leger, director of historical collections at Parisian jewelry house the historical business, stated