Is France Able to Retrieve Its Precious Historic Jewels – Or Is It Too Late?
French authorities are desperate to locate priceless jewels taken from the Paris museum in a brazen broad daylight theft, although specialists have warned it could be impossible to recover them.
Within the French capital on Sunday, thieves broke into the top tourist attraction worldwide, taking eight valued items then fleeing via motor scooters in a daring heist that lasted approximately under ten minutes.
Dutch art detective an expert in the field told the BBC he feared the artifacts may already be "long gone", once separated into numerous components.
Experts suggest the artifacts could be sold off for a fraction of their worth and smuggled out of the country, other experts have said.
Potential Suspects Behind the Heist
The perpetrators are experienced criminals, according to the expert, evidenced by the fact they were inside and outside of the building with such efficiency.
"Realistically speaking, for an average individual, you don't wake up in the morning planning, I should become a thief, and begin with the world-famous museum," he noted.
"This won't be the first time they've done this," he continued. "They've committed other burglaries. They're self-assured and they believed, it might work out with this, and went for it."
Additionally demonstrating the expertise of the group is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "strong track record in cracking major theft cases" has been tasked with tracking them down.
Authorities have indicated they believe the theft is linked to a sophisticated gang.
Organised crime groups such as these usually pursue two main goals, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor stated. "Either to act on behalf of a client, or to obtain precious stones to perform money laundering operations."
The detective suggests it is impossible to market the jewels as complete pieces, and he said commissioned theft for a private collector represents a situation that only happens in fictional stories.
"No one desires to acquire an item so hot," he stated. "It cannot be shown to your friends, it cannot be passed to heirs, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Price Tag
The detective suggests the objects will be dismantled and separated, including the gold and precious metals liquefied and the gems divided into smaller stones that could be virtually impossible to track back to the museum theft.
Historical jewelry specialist an authority in the field, host of the podcast If Jewels Could Talk and was the famous fashion magazine's jewelry specialist for 20 years, explained the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most important gemstones from the museum's holdings.
The "impressively sized flawless stones" would likely be dug out from their settings and marketed, she noted, excluding the tiara belonging to the French empress which features less valuable pieces mounted in it and proved to be "too dangerous to keep," she explained.
This might account for the reason it was abandoned while fleeing, together with another piece, and recovered by police.
The imperial headpiece which was stolen, contains extremely rare authentic pearls which command enormous prices, specialists confirm.
While the items are considered being priceless, Ms Woolton expects them to be sold for a fraction of their worth.
"They will go to buyers who is willing to acquire such items," she explained. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – they will take whatever price is offered."
The precise value would they generate as payment when disposed of? Regarding the possible worth of the loot, the detective stated the separated elements may amount to "multiple millions."
The precious stones and taken gold could fetch as much as a significant sum (millions in euros; millions in US currency), according to an industry expert, senior official of a prominent jeweler, an online jeweller.
The expert explained the gang will require a trained specialist to remove the gems, and a skilled stone worker to alter the larger recognisable stones.
Less noticeable gems that were harder to trace would be disposed of right away and despite challenges to tell the exact price of each piece stolen, the more significant gems may amount to about half a million pounds each, he noted.
"There are no fewer than four of that size, thus totaling all of those together with the precious metal, one could estimate coming close to ten million," he concluded.
"The diamond and gemstone market is active and plenty of customers operate on the fringes that avoid questioning about origins."
There are hopes that the items may be found undamaged one day – although such expectations are fading with each passing day.
Similar cases have occurred – the Cartier exhibition at the London museum displays a piece of jewelry taken decades ago before reappearing in an auction many years after.
Definitely is many in France feel profoundly disturbed by the Louvre heist, expressing an emotional attachment with the artifacts.
"French people don't always appreciate jewelry as it symbolizes a question of power, and that doesn't necessarily carry positive associations among French people," a jewelry authority, curatorial leader at Parisian jewelry house the prestigious firm, explained