Is France Able to Retrieve Its Priceless Royal Gems – Or Is It Too Late?
Law enforcement in France are making every effort to retrieve irreplaceable jewels taken from the Louvre Museum in a brazen daytime heist, although specialists caution it could be impossible to get them back.
At the heart of Paris over the weekend, robbers gained access to the top tourist attraction worldwide, stealing eight valued items before escaping via motor scooters in a bold robbery that lasted approximately under ten minutes.
Dutch art detective Arthur Brand expressed his view he suspects the artifacts are likely "already dismantled", once separated into hundreds of parts.
It is highly likely the artifacts could be sold off for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from France, other experts noted.
Potential Suspects Behind the Theft
The perpetrators were professionals, according to the expert, evidenced by the speed with which they got in and out of the Louvre with such efficiency.
"You know, for regular people, you don't wake up in the morning planning, I should become a burglar, choosing as first target the world-famous museum," he noted.
"This won't be their initial robbery," he added. "They have done previous crimes. They are confident and they thought, we could succeed with this, and went for it."
Additionally demonstrating the professionalism of the thieves is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "high success rate in cracking significant crimes" has been tasked with tracking them down.
Law enforcement have said they think the heist is connected to a sophisticated gang.
Organised crime groups like these typically have two objectives, French prosecutor a senior official said. "Either they operate on behalf of a financier, or to obtain expensive jewelry to conduct money laundering operations."
Mr Brand thinks it is impossible to market the jewels as complete pieces, and he explained commissioned theft for an individual buyer represents a situation that mainly exists in Hollywood films.
"Few people wish to handle an artifact so identifiable," he explained. "You can't display it to your friends, you cannot leave it to your children, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Price Tag
The detective suggests the artifacts will be taken apart and broken up, with the gold and precious metals liquefied and the gems divided into smaller stones that will be extremely difficult to connect to the museum theft.
Historical jewelry specialist a renowned expert, who presents the podcast about historical jewelry and was Vogue magazine's gemstone expert for two decades, stated the robbers had "specifically chosen" the most significant gemstones from the institution's artifacts.
The "impressively sized exquisite jewels" will probably be dug out from the jewelry pieces and sold, she noted, excluding the headpiece of the French empress which contains smaller gems set in it and proved to be "too dangerous to keep," she explained.
This could explain why they left it behind during the escape, along with another piece, and located by officials.
Empress Eugenie's tiara which was stolen, has rare authentic pearls which have a very large value, experts say.
Even though the pieces have been described as having immeasurable worth, Ms Woolton expects them will be disposed of for a fraction of their worth.
"They'll likely end up to individuals who are able to handle these," she stated. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – they will take whatever price is offered."
What specific amount would they generate in money when disposed of? Regarding the estimated price of the haul, the detective stated the cut-up parts might value "multiple millions."
The precious stones and gold stolen could fetch up to ten million pounds (millions in euros; thirteen million dollars), stated by a jewelry specialist, managing director of an established company, an internet-based gem dealer.
He stated the perpetrators will require an experienced professional to separate the jewels, and an expert gem cutter to modify the more noticeable pieces.
Smaller stones that were harder to trace might be marketed quickly and despite challenges to estimate the specific worth of all the stones taken, the more significant gems could be worth around half a million pounds each, he noted.
"Reports indicate a minimum of four comparable in size, thus totaling each of them together with the gold components, you are probably coming close to ten million," he concluded.
"The diamond and precious stone industry has buyers and plenty of customers operate within gray markets that don't ask too many questions."
There are hopes that the artifacts may be found intact one day – yet this possibility are diminishing with each passing day.
There is a precedent – the Cartier exhibition at the V&A Museum includes an artifact previously stolen that later resurfaced in a public event several decades later.
What is certain includes the French public are extremely upset by the Louvre heist, having felt an emotional attachment with the artifacts.
"We don't necessarily appreciate jewelry as it symbolizes an issue of authority, and that doesn't necessarily have a good connotation within French culture," a heritage expert, director of historical collections at Parisian jewelry house the prestigious firm, explained