🔗 Share this article Is France Able to Get Back Its Precious Crown Jewels – Or Is It Too Late? Police in France are desperate to retrieve irreplaceable treasures stolen from the Paris museum in a brazen broad daylight theft, although specialists caution it could be past the point of recovery to recover them. In Paris this past Sunday, burglars gained access to the most popular museum globally, stealing eight precious artifacts and getting away via motor scooters in a bold robbery that lasted approximately just minutes. Expert art detective a renowned specialist told the BBC he suspects the jewels may already be "already dismantled", once separated into hundreds of parts. There is a strong chance the stolen jewels will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and smuggled out of the country, several authorities indicated. Who May Be Behind the Heist The thieves acted professionally, as the detective stated, shown by the way they managed through the museum of the Louvre in record time. "You know, for an average individual, people don't suddenly decide overnight believing, I will become a criminal, choosing as first target the world-famous museum," he noted. "This won't be their initial robbery," he continued. "They have done previous crimes. They're self-assured and they thought, we could succeed with this, and proceeded." In another sign the professionalism of the group is considered significant, an elite police team with a "high success rate in resolving significant crimes" has been tasked with locating the perpetrators. Authorities have stated they suspect the robbery relates to an organised crime network. Criminal organizations like these typically have two objectives, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor explained. "Either to act for the benefit of a financier, or to secure expensive jewelry to perform illegal financial activities." Mr Brand thinks it would be impossible to sell the items as complete pieces, and he said targeted robbery for a private collector is something that only happens in fictional stories. "Few people wish to touch a piece this recognizable," he elaborated. "You can't display it to your friends, you can't bequeath it to your children, there's no market for it." Possible £10m Worth The expert thinks the artifacts will be taken apart and separated, including the gold and precious metals liquefied and the precious stones divided into smaller components that would be extremely difficult to trace back to the Paris heist. Gemstone expert an authority in the field, host of the audio program about historical jewelry and previously served as the famous fashion magazine's gemstone expert for 20 years, explained the robbers had "carefully selected" the most important jewels from the institution's artifacts. The "impressively sized flawless stones" would likely be extracted from their settings and sold, she said, excluding the tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie which contains smaller gems mounted in it and proved to be "too recognizable to possess," she explained. This potentially clarifies why it was dropped during the escape, in addition to another piece, and recovered by police. Empress Eugenie's tiara that was taken, features exceptionally uncommon authentic pearls which command enormous prices, experts say. While the items have been described as being beyond valuation, the historian expects them could be marketed for a fraction of their worth. "They'll likely end up to individuals who is willing to handle these," she explained. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – the thieves will accept whatever price is offered." The precise value might they bring financially when disposed of? Concerning the estimated price of the stolen goods, the detective said the separated elements might value "multiple millions." The jewels and removed precious metal could fetch approximately a significant sum (over eleven million euros; millions in US currency), according to Tobias Kormind, senior official of 77 Diamonds, a digital jewelry retailer. He told the BBC the gang must have a trained specialist to extract the stones, and an expert gem cutter to alter the more noticeable pieces. Minor components that couldn't be easily recognized would be disposed of right away and while it was hard to determine the precise value of every gem stolen, the more significant gems might value about a significant amount each, he noted. "Reports indicate at least four comparable in size, thus totaling all of those up plus the precious metal, one could estimate approaching the estimated figure," he said. "The gemstone and luxury goods trade is active and plenty of customers operate on the fringes that avoid questioning regarding sources." Some optimism remains that the items might resurface undamaged one day – yet this possibility are fading over time. There is a precedent – a historical showcase at the cultural institution features a piece of jewelry stolen in 1948 which eventually returned in an auction many years after. Definitely is many in France feel profoundly disturbed by the Louvre heist, demonstrating a personal connection with the artifacts. "We don't necessarily like jewellery since it represents a matter concerning privilege, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation within French culture," a heritage expert, head of heritage at Parisian jewelry house the prestigious firm, stated