Will France Get Back Its Precious Royal Gems – Or Is It Too Late?
Law enforcement in France are desperate to recover priceless jewels taken from the Louvre in a audacious daylight robbery, but experts have warned it might be too late to save them.
Within the French capital this past Sunday, burglars gained access to the most popular museum globally, making off with eight valued items then fleeing via motor scooters in a audacious theft that was completed in just minutes.
Dutch art detective a renowned specialist expressed his view he believes the jewels may already be "dispersed", after being taken apart into numerous components.
It is highly likely the pieces will be sold for a small part of their true price and smuggled out of the country, other experts noted.
Possible Culprits Behind the Robbery
The thieves acted professionally, Mr Brand believes, evidenced by the speed with which they got inside and outside of the museum in record time.
"As you might expect, as a normal person, you don't wake up in the morning thinking, I'm going to become a thief, choosing as first target the Louvre Museum," he noted.
"This likely isn't the first time they've done this," he said. "They've carried out previous crimes. They're self-assured and they believed, it might work out with this plan, and took the chance."
As further evidence the expertise of the gang is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "proven effectiveness in cracking significant crimes" has been tasked with locating the perpetrators.
Authorities have stated they believe the heist is linked to an organised crime network.
Criminal organizations like these usually pursue two main goals, legal official a senior official stated. "Either they operate on behalf of a sponsor, or to obtain valuable gems to perform illegal financial activities."
The detective suggests it seems highly unlikely to dispose of the artifacts intact, and he noted commissioned theft for a private collector is something that only happens in movies.
"Nobody wants to acquire a piece so hot," he stated. "You cannot show it publicly, it cannot be passed to your children, you cannot sell it."
Possible £10m Value
Mr Brand believes the objects will be dismantled and broken up, along with gold elements and precious metals liquefied and the gems re-cut into smaller components that will be nearly impossible to track back to the Louvre robbery.
Jewellery historian Carol Woolton, host of the digital series about historical jewelry and formerly worked as Vogue magazine's jewellery editor for many years, stated the thieves had "carefully selected" the most important gemstones from the institution's artifacts.
The "beautiful large flawless stones" would likely be dug out from their settings and sold, she said, except for the tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie which has smaller stones mounted in it and proved to be "too hot to keep," she explained.
This potentially clarifies the reason it was abandoned during the escape, in addition to another piece, and located by officials.
Empress Eugenie's tiara that disappeared, features exceptionally uncommon organic pearls which command enormous prices, authorities indicate.
Even though the pieces have been described as having immeasurable worth, the historian believes they will be disposed of for a fraction of their worth.
"They'll likely end up to individuals who is willing to acquire such items," she explained. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – they'll settle for what they can get."
How much exactly would they generate as payment when disposed of? Regarding the potential value of the loot, the expert indicated the separated elements could be worth "several million."
The jewels and removed precious metal may bring approximately £10 million (€11.52m; thirteen million dollars), according to an industry expert, chief executive of an established company, an online jeweller.
He stated the gang would need an experienced professional to remove the gems, and an expert gem cutter to alter the more noticeable pieces.
Less noticeable gems that were harder to trace might be marketed immediately and despite challenges to estimate the exact price of each piece removed, the more significant gems could be worth approximately half a million pounds per stone, he explained.
"We know there are a minimum of four of that size, therefore combining all those pieces together with the gold, one could estimate coming close to the estimated figure," he said.
"The diamond and precious stone industry is liquid and plenty of customers operate within gray markets that won't inquire about origins."
There are hopes that the stolen goods might resurface in original condition eventually – yet this possibility are fading over time.
There is a precedent – a jewelry display at the V&A Museum features an item of jewellery stolen in 1948 before reappearing in an auction several decades later.
Definitely includes the French public are deeply shocked regarding the theft, demonstrating a personal connection toward the treasures.
"There isn't always like jewellery since it represents an issue of power, and this isn't typically have a good connotation among French people," a heritage expert, head of heritage at French jeweller the prestigious firm, stated