French authorities are urgently trying to recover priceless gemstones robbed from the Louvre in a audacious daylight robbery, yet authorities are concerned it could be impossible to recover them.
In Paris over the weekend, burglars broke into the world's most-visited museum, making off with eight cherished pieces then fleeing on scooters in a bold robbery that took about just minutes.
International art investigator an expert in the field stated publicly he suspects the jewels are likely "long gone", after being taken apart into hundreds of parts.
Experts suggest the artifacts will be sold for a fraction of their worth and smuggled out of the country, other experts have said.
The thieves were professionals, according to the expert, evidenced by the fact they were inside and outside of the museum so quickly.
"As you might expect, for regular people, one doesn't just get up in the morning believing, I should become a burglar, and begin with the Louvre," he said.
"This likely isn't their first heist," he added. "They've carried out things before. They are confident and they calculated, it might work out with this plan, and proceeded."
In another sign the skill of the gang is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "high success rate in solving significant crimes" has been tasked with tracking them down.
Law enforcement have said they suspect the theft is linked to an organised crime network.
Sophisticated gangs such as these usually pursue two main goals, French prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated. "Either to act working for a financier, or to obtain expensive jewelry to perform money laundering operations."
The expert believes it would be highly unlikely to sell the items as complete pieces, and he noted commissioned theft for a private collector is a scenario that typically occurs in fictional stories.
"Nobody wants to touch an artifact so hot," he explained. "You cannot show it publicly, you cannot leave it to family, you cannot sell it."
The detective suggests the artifacts will be dismantled and separated, with the gold and silver melted down and the precious stones re-cut into smaller components that could be nearly impossible to connect to the museum theft.
Jewellery historian a renowned expert, host of the digital series If Jewels Could Talk and formerly worked as the prestigious publication's jewelry specialist for 20 years, told the BBC the perpetrators had "cherry-picked" the most significant jewels from the institution's artifacts.
The "beautiful large perfect gems" will probably be dug out from their settings and sold, she explained, with the exception of the headpiece of the French empress which has smaller stones incorporated within it and proved to be "too recognizable to possess," she added.
This might account for why they left it behind during the escape, along with one other item, and found by authorities.
The royal crown that disappeared, has rare natural pearls which are incredibly valuable, authorities indicate.
Even though the pieces have been described as being priceless, Ms Woolton anticipates they to be sold for a fraction of their worth.
"They're destined to buyers who are prepared to acquire such items," she said. "Many people will seek for these items – they'll settle for what they can get."
What specific amount could they fetch in money upon being marketed? Concerning the potential value of the haul, Mr Brand indicated the dismantled components may amount to "several million."
The gems and taken gold might achieve up to ten million pounds (millions in euros; $13.4m), according to Tobias Kormind, chief executive of 77 Diamonds, an online jeweller.
He told the BBC the perpetrators must have a skilled expert to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to change the larger recognisable stones.
Less noticeable gems that were harder to trace might be marketed quickly and despite challenges to tell the precise value of all the stones removed, the more significant gems could be worth approximately £500,000 for individual pieces, he explained.
"There are at least four that large, thus totaling all those pieces up plus the gold components, one could estimate approaching ten million," he concluded.
"The jewelry and luxury goods trade is active and plenty of customers operate on the fringes that don't ask regarding sources."
There are hopes that the items might resurface undamaged in the future – yet this possibility are narrowing with each passing day.
There is a precedent – a historical showcase at the London museum features a piece of jewelry previously stolen that later resurfaced in a sale many years after.
Definitely are numerous French citizens feel profoundly disturbed about the museum robbery, demonstrating an emotional attachment with the artifacts.
"There isn't always appreciate jewelry as it symbolizes an issue of privilege, and which doesn't always carry positive associations in France," a heritage expert, curatorial leader at established French company the historical business, stated
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