Will France Recover Its Invaluable Royal Gems – Or Has It Become Too Late?
Police in France are desperate to locate priceless jewels taken from the Paris museum in a audacious daylight robbery, but experts are concerned it could be impossible to recover them.
In Paris this past Sunday, burglars gained access to the world's most-visited museum, taking eight valued items and getting away on scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately under ten minutes.
Dutch art detective a renowned specialist stated publicly he believes the artifacts may already be "already dismantled", after being taken apart into hundreds of parts.
Experts suggest the pieces may be disposed of for a fraction of their worth and taken out of the country, several authorities indicated.
Who May Be Behind the Robbery
The group are experienced criminals, according to the expert, as demonstrated by the speed with which they got inside and outside of the building with such efficiency.
"You know, for an average individual, you don't wake up in the morning thinking, I'm going to become a thief, let's start with the Louvre Museum," he said.
"This likely isn't their initial robbery," he continued. "They have done previous crimes. They are confident and they calculated, we might get away with this attempt, and took the chance."
As further evidence the skill of the gang is considered significant, an elite police team with a "proven effectiveness in resolving high-profile robberies" has been assigned with tracking them down.
Police officials have indicated they believe the robbery is linked to an organised crime network.
Criminal organizations like these usually pursue two primary purposes, legal official the prosecutor said. "Either they operate on behalf of a client, or to obtain valuable gems to conduct illegal financial activities."
The detective suggests it seems impossible to dispose of the artifacts in their original form, and he said stealing-to-order for a private collector represents a situation that mainly exists in movies.
"Few people wish to handle an artifact this recognizable," he elaborated. "You can't display it to acquaintances, you can't bequeath it to family, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Value
The expert thinks the stolen items will be dismantled and separated, including the gold and silver melted down and the jewels re-cut into less recognizable pieces that will be nearly impossible to connect to the Paris heist.
Historical jewelry specialist a renowned expert, host of the audio program focusing on gemstones and previously served as Vogue magazine's jewelry specialist for two decades, stated the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most important treasures from the institution's artifacts.
The "beautiful large perfect gems" will probably be removed of their mountings and marketed, she said, with the exception of the crown from the historical figure which has smaller stones set in it and was "too hot to keep," she continued.
This could explain why it was dropped while fleeing, along with another piece, and recovered by police.
The royal crown that disappeared, has rare natural pearls which command enormous prices, specialists confirm.
Although the artifacts are regarded as having immeasurable worth, the expert expects them could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.
"They'll likely end up to buyers who is willing to handle these," she stated. "Many people will seek for these – they'll settle for whatever price is offered."
The precise value would they generate as payment if sold on? Regarding the potential value of the loot, Mr Brand indicated the separated elements could be worth "multiple millions."
The gems and taken gold could fetch as much as £10 million (over eleven million euros; millions in US currency), according to Tobias Kormind, chief executive of an established company, an online jeweller.
The expert explained the perpetrators must have an experienced professional to separate the jewels, and a professional diamond cutter to modify the larger recognisable stones.
Minor components that couldn't be easily recognized might be marketed immediately and while it was hard to determine the precise value of all the stones stolen, the more significant gems may amount to around £500,000 each, he explained.
"There are a minimum of four of that size, so adding all of those together with the gold components, it's likely coming close to the estimated figure," he said.
"The gemstone and luxury goods trade is active and plenty of customers operate in less regulated areas that avoid questioning too many questions."
Some optimism remains that the artifacts could reappear intact in the future – although such expectations are diminishing with each passing day.
Historical examples exist – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution displays an artifact previously stolen that later resurfaced in a public event much later.
Definitely is many in France are extremely upset regarding the theft, demonstrating an emotional attachment to the jewels.
"French people don't always like jewellery as it symbolizes a question of authority, and that doesn't necessarily carry positive associations in France," a jewelry authority, head of heritage at established French company the historical business, explained