Can France Recover Its Invaluable Crown Jewels – Or Has It Become Too Late?
French authorities are desperate to recover irreplaceable treasures taken from the Louvre Museum in a brazen daytime heist, but experts have warned it could be impossible to save them.
In Paris this past Sunday, burglars entered by force the most popular museum globally, stealing eight cherished pieces then fleeing on scooters in a audacious theft that was completed in just minutes.
International art investigator a renowned specialist told the BBC he suspects the artifacts could be "dispersed", after being taken apart into numerous components.
It is highly likely the pieces will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and smuggled out of the country, several authorities noted.
Potential Suspects Behind the Theft
The group were professionals, Mr Brand believes, evidenced by the speed with which they got in and out of the Louvre with such efficiency.
"As you might expect, as a normal person, you don't wake up one day planning, I will become a criminal, let's start with the Louvre Museum," he said.
"This likely isn't their first heist," he continued. "They've carried out previous crimes. They feel certain and they believed, we might get away with this plan, and went for it."
In another sign the expertise of the gang is treated as important, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in resolving major theft cases" has been given responsibility with locating the perpetrators.
Authorities have said they suspect the theft relates to a sophisticated gang.
Organised crime groups like these typically have two objectives, legal official Laure Beccuau explained. "Either they operate for the benefit of a financier, or to secure precious stones to perform money laundering operations."
The expert believes it would be highly unlikely to market the jewels in their original form, and he noted stealing-to-order for a private collector represents a situation that mainly exists in Hollywood films.
"Few people wish to touch an item so identifiable," he elaborated. "You can't display it to your friends, you can't bequeath it to family, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Value
Mr Brand believes the artifacts are likely broken down and separated, with the gold and silver components melted and the jewels cut up into smaller stones that could be virtually impossible to trace back to the Louvre robbery.
Gemstone expert a renowned expert, who presents the audio program about historical jewelry and previously served as the prestigious publication's gemstone expert for many years, told the BBC the perpetrators had "carefully selected" the most valuable gemstones from the institution's artifacts.
The "beautiful large perfect gems" are expected to be extracted of their mountings and marketed, she noted, except for the crown from the French empress which features less valuable pieces mounted in it and was considered "too hot to possess," she continued.
This could explain why it was dropped while fleeing, in addition to a second artifact, and recovered by police.
Empress Eugenie's tiara which was stolen, contains extremely rare organic pearls which command enormous prices, experts say.
Although the artifacts have been described as being beyond valuation, the historian expects them to be sold for a small percentage of their value.
"They're destined to individuals who are prepared to handle these," she said. "Everyone will be looking for the stolen goods – they will take any amount available."
The precise value could they fetch financially if sold on? Concerning the estimated price of the haul, the detective said the cut-up parts might value "several million."
The precious stones and removed precious metal might achieve up to £10 million (over eleven million euros; $13.4m), stated by a jewelry specialist, chief executive of an established company, a digital jewelry retailer.
The expert explained the thieves will require an experienced professional to remove the gems, and an expert gem cutter to modify the bigger identifiable gems.
Smaller stones that were not easily identifiable would be disposed of right away and although difficult to estimate the precise value of every gem taken, the larger ones might value approximately half a million pounds per stone, he noted.
"Reports indicate at least four that large, thus totaling all those pieces along with the gold, it's likely reaching the estimated figure," he stated.
"The jewelry and luxury goods trade is active and plenty of customers operate on the fringes that avoid questioning regarding sources."
Hope persists that the artifacts could reappear undamaged eventually – but those hopes are narrowing over time.
There is a precedent – a jewelry display at the cultural institution includes an artifact previously stolen that later resurfaced in a sale much later.
What is certain are numerous French citizens are extremely upset regarding the theft, demonstrating a personal connection with the artifacts.
"There isn't always like jewellery because it's an issue of privilege, and this isn't typically carry positive associations among French people," a jewelry authority, director of historical collections at Parisian jewelry house the historical business, said
