Can France Get Back Its Priceless Historic Jewels – Or Has It Become Too Late?
Law enforcement in France are making every effort to locate extremely valuable jewels robbed from the Louvre Museum in a audacious broad daylight theft, although specialists have warned it might be past the point of recovery to get them back.
In Paris this past Sunday, burglars broke into the top tourist attraction worldwide, taking eight valued items then fleeing via motor scooters in a audacious theft that took about eight minutes.
International art investigator a renowned specialist expressed his view he feared the jewels are likely "long gone", having been broken up into numerous components.
Experts suggest the artifacts could be sold off for a mere percentage of their value and taken out of French territory, several authorities noted.
Potential Suspects Behind the Robbery
The group are experienced criminals, Mr Brand believes, as demonstrated by the fact they were in and out of the Louvre in record time.
"You know, for an average individual, you don't wake up in the morning planning, I will become a thief, let's start with the Louvre," he noted.
"This isn't their initial robbery," he added. "They've committed things before. They are confident and they believed, it might work out with this plan, and proceeded."
Additionally demonstrating the expertise of the gang is treated as important, a specialist police unit with a "high success rate in resolving significant crimes" has been given responsibility with finding them.
Law enforcement have said they suspect the theft is connected to an organised crime network.
Sophisticated gangs like these generally have two objectives, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor explained. "Either to act on behalf of a client, or to obtain expensive jewelry to perform illegal financial activities."
The detective suggests it seems impossible to market the jewels intact, and he said stealing-to-order for an individual buyer is a scenario that mainly exists in Hollywood films.
"Nobody wants to handle an item this recognizable," he elaborated. "You cannot show it publicly, it cannot be passed to heirs, it cannot be sold."
Potential £10m Price Tag
The expert thinks the stolen items are likely broken down and separated, with the gold and silver components melted and the gems divided into smaller stones that could be nearly impossible to connect to the Louvre robbery.
Gemstone expert a renowned expert, who presents the podcast If Jewels Could Talk and previously served as Vogue magazine's jewelry specialist for two decades, told the BBC the perpetrators had "carefully selected" the most important jewels from the Louvre's collection.
The "magnificent exquisite jewels" would likely be extracted from their settings and disposed of, she explained, except for the tiara belonging to the historical figure which contains smaller gems set in it and proved to be "too dangerous to handle," she continued.
This could explain why they left it behind as they got away, along with one other item, and located by officials.
The imperial headpiece which was stolen, has rare natural pearls which have a very large value, specialists confirm.
Even though the pieces are considered being beyond valuation, the expert expects them could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.
"They're destined to someone who are able to acquire such items," she said. "Everyone will be looking for these – they'll settle for what they can get."
The precise value might they bring as payment when disposed of? Concerning the potential value of the haul, the detective stated the cut-up parts might value "multiple millions."
The gems and gold stolen could fetch as much as a significant sum (over eleven million euros; thirteen million dollars), says a jewelry specialist, senior official of 77 Diamonds, a digital jewelry retailer.
The expert explained the perpetrators would need an experienced professional to separate the jewels, and a skilled stone worker to alter the more noticeable pieces.
Less noticeable gems that couldn't be easily recognized could be sold right away and despite challenges to estimate the specific worth of each piece taken, the larger ones may amount to approximately a significant amount for individual pieces, he noted.
"We know there are a minimum of four of that size, thus totaling all of those up plus the precious metal, it's likely reaching the estimated figure," he concluded.
"The gemstone and precious stone industry is liquid and numerous purchasers exist on the fringes that avoid questioning too many questions."
Some optimism remains that the artifacts might resurface undamaged in the future – but those hopes are fading as the days pass.
Similar cases have occurred – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution displays an item of jewellery previously stolen that later resurfaced in a sale much later.
Without doubt is many in France feel profoundly disturbed about the museum robbery, demonstrating an emotional attachment to the jewels.
"There isn't always value gems because it's a question of privilege, and which doesn't always receive favorable interpretation in France," a heritage expert, head of heritage at established French company the historical business, stated