Will France Recover Its Invaluable Historic Jewels – Or Has It Become Too Late?
Law enforcement in France are urgently trying to recover priceless treasures stolen from the Louvre in a daring broad daylight theft, but experts have warned it might be impossible to recover them.
In Paris this past Sunday, robbers entered by force the top tourist attraction worldwide, stealing eight precious artifacts and getting away using scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately under ten minutes.
Expert art detective a renowned specialist told the BBC he suspects the stolen items could be "dispersed", once separated into hundreds of parts.
It is highly likely the stolen jewels may be disposed of for a fraction of their worth and taken out of French territory, other experts have said.
Potential Suspects Behind the Theft
The thieves acted professionally, as the detective stated, shown by the fact they were through the museum of the Louvre so quickly.
"Realistically speaking, as a normal person, you don't wake up one day thinking, I'm going to become a thief, choosing as first target the Louvre Museum," he explained.
"This likely isn't their initial robbery," he continued. "They've committed things before. They're self-assured and they calculated, we might get away with this attempt, and proceeded."
Additionally demonstrating the expertise of the thieves is being taken seriously, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in solving high-profile robberies" has been assigned with finding them.
Police officials have stated they believe the heist is connected to an organised crime network.
Sophisticated gangs of this type typically have two primary purposes, legal official a senior official explained. "Either to act on behalf of a financier, or to obtain expensive jewelry to conduct illegal financial activities."
Mr Brand thinks it seems impossible to dispose of the artifacts in their original form, and he explained commissioned theft for a specific client is something that mainly exists in fictional stories.
"Few people wish to touch an item so hot," he explained. "It cannot be shown to acquaintances, you can't bequeath it to heirs, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Worth
Mr Brand believes the objects will be dismantled and separated, along with gold elements and silver melted down and the precious stones re-cut into smaller components that could be extremely difficult to trace back to the Paris heist.
Jewellery historian a renowned expert, creator of the digital series focusing on gemstones and was the famous fashion magazine's jewelry specialist for many years, told the BBC the robbers had "cherry-picked" the most valuable treasures from the institution's artifacts.
The "impressively sized exquisite jewels" will probably be removed from their settings and disposed of, she said, except for the crown from the French empress which contains smaller gems incorporated within it and was considered "too dangerous to possess," she added.
This potentially clarifies the reason it was abandoned while fleeing, along with another piece, and found by authorities.
The imperial headpiece which was stolen, contains extremely rare authentic pearls which have a very large value, experts say.
While the items are considered being priceless, Ms Woolton anticipates they will be disposed of for a fraction of their worth.
"They're destined to someone who is willing to acquire such items," she stated. "Many people will seek for these items – they'll settle for any amount available."
How much exactly would they generate financially if sold on? Regarding the potential value of the haul, the detective stated the cut-up parts could be worth "many millions."
The gems and taken gold could fetch as much as a significant sum (over eleven million euros; $13.4m), according to an industry expert, chief executive of a prominent jeweler, a digital jewelry retailer.
He stated the gang would need a skilled expert to extract the stones, and a professional diamond cutter to change the larger recognisable stones.
Smaller stones that couldn't be easily recognized could be sold immediately and despite challenges to tell the specific worth of every gem removed, the more significant gems may amount to approximately a significant amount per stone, he said.
"Reports indicate at least four of that size, thus totaling each of them together with the precious metal, you are probably approaching ten million," he said.
"The diamond and precious stone industry is liquid and numerous purchasers exist within gray markets that don't ask about origins."
Some optimism remains that the stolen goods could reappear intact in the future – but those hopes are diminishing over time.
Similar cases have occurred – a jewelry display at the cultural institution displays a piece of jewelry previously stolen that later resurfaced in an auction many years after.
Without doubt includes the French public are extremely upset about the museum robbery, having felt a personal connection with the artifacts.
"French people don't always value gems since it represents a matter concerning power, and this isn't typically receive favorable interpretation among French people," a heritage expert, curatorial leader at French jeweller the historical business, explained