🔗 Share this article

French authorities are urgently trying to locate priceless gemstones stolen from the Louvre in a brazen daytime heist, but experts caution it might be past the point of recovery to recover them.

At the heart of Paris on Sunday, thieves gained access to the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight precious artifacts before escaping via motor scooters in a audacious theft that took about eight minutes.

International art investigator a renowned specialist told the BBC he suspects the jewels are likely "dispersed", after being taken apart into many fragments.

There is a strong chance the artifacts will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and smuggled out of France, other experts indicated.

Possible Culprits Behind the Robbery

The perpetrators are experienced criminals, as the detective stated, evidenced by the speed with which they got inside and outside of the building in record time.

"As you might expect, as a normal person, you don't wake up overnight thinking, I'm going to become a criminal, let's start with the Louvre Museum," he explained.

"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, we might get away with this attempt, and took the chance."

In another sign the expertise of the thieves is being taken seriously, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in resolving high-profile robberies" has been assigned with locating the perpetrators.

Law enforcement have indicated they suspect the theft relates to an organised crime network.

Criminal organizations such as these usually pursue two primary purposes, French prosecutor a senior official explained. "Either to act on behalf of a financier, or to acquire precious stones to perform illegal financial activities."

The expert believes it would be extremely difficult to market the jewels as complete pieces, and he said commissioned theft for a specific client is a scenario that typically occurs in movies.

"No one desires to touch an artifact so hot," he elaborated. "You can't display it publicly, you can't bequeath it to your children, there's no market for it."

Possible £10m Worth

The expert thinks the objects will be taken apart and broken up, with the gold and silver components melted and the jewels divided into smaller stones that could be virtually impossible to connect to the Paris heist.

Jewellery historian an authority in the field, creator of the audio program about historical jewelry and formerly worked as the prestigious publication's gemstone expert for two decades, told the BBC the perpetrators had "cherry-picked" the most significant treasures from the Louvre's collection.

The "beautiful large exquisite jewels" would likely be removed from the jewelry pieces and marketed, she said, excluding the tiara belonging to the historical figure which has smaller stones incorporated within it and was considered "too dangerous to handle," she explained.

This potentially clarifies the reason it was abandoned as they got away, together with one other item, and located by officials.

The royal crown which was stolen, features exceptionally uncommon authentic pearls which have a very large value, experts say.

Although the artifacts are regarded as being beyond valuation, the historian expects them could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.

"They will go to individuals who is willing to take possession," she explained. "Everyone will be looking for the stolen goods – they'll settle for whatever price is offered."

How much exactly could they fetch in money when disposed of? Concerning the estimated price of the loot, the detective said the cut-up parts may amount to "multiple millions."

The jewels and removed precious metal may bring up to a significant sum (millions in euros; millions in US currency), stated by a jewelry specialist, chief executive of an established company, an internet-based gem dealer.

He told the BBC the perpetrators must have an experienced professional to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to modify the bigger identifiable gems.

Minor components that couldn't be easily recognized might be marketed immediately and despite challenges to determine the specific worth of every gem stolen, the bigger stones could be worth about half a million pounds for individual pieces, he explained.

"Reports indicate at least four that large, so adding all of those up plus the gold, it's likely approaching ten million," he said.

"The diamond and gemstone market is active and numerous purchasers exist within gray markets that avoid questioning regarding sources."

Some optimism remains that the stolen goods may be found intact in the future – but those hopes are fading over time.

There is a precedent – a historical showcase at the cultural institution displays an artifact taken decades ago that later resurfaced in a public event much later.

What is certain includes the French public are extremely upset about the museum robbery, demonstrating an emotional attachment toward the treasures.

"There isn't always like jewellery as it symbolizes an issue of privilege, and this isn't typically carry positive associations within French culture," Alexandre Leger, head of heritage at Parisian jewelry house Maison Vever, stated