🔗 Share this article Will France Recover Its Invaluable Crown Jewels – Or Is It Too Late? Law enforcement in France are making every effort to recover priceless jewels robbed from the Louvre in a daring daylight robbery, although specialists have warned it might be past the point of recovery to save them. Within the French capital over the weekend, burglars gained access to the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight precious artifacts and getting away via motor scooters in a daring heist that took about just minutes. International art investigator a renowned specialist told the BBC he believes the artifacts may already be "already dismantled", having been broken up into hundreds of parts. Experts suggest the pieces may be disposed of for a small part of their true price and illegally transported from French territory, several authorities indicated. Possible Culprits Behind the Theft The perpetrators were professionals, according to the expert, evidenced by the way they managed inside and outside of the building in record time. "You know, as a normal person, you don't wake up overnight planning, I will become a burglar, let's start with the Louvre Museum," he said. "This isn't the first time they've done this," he continued. "They've carried out previous crimes. They're self-assured and they thought, we might get away with this, and went for it." As further evidence the professionalism of the gang is considered significant, a dedicated task force with a "proven effectiveness in solving significant crimes" has been assigned with locating the perpetrators. Authorities have stated they believe the heist is connected to an organised crime network. Criminal organizations of this type generally have two main goals, legal official a senior official explained. "Either to act for the benefit of a client, or to obtain valuable gems to perform illegal financial activities." Mr Brand thinks it would be highly unlikely to dispose of the artifacts as complete pieces, and he noted targeted robbery for a specific client is a scenario that only happens in movies. "Few people wish to handle a piece so identifiable," he elaborated. "It cannot be shown publicly, you can't bequeath it to family, it cannot be sold." Potential £10m Price Tag The expert thinks the objects will be dismantled and broken up, with the gold and silver melted down and the gems cut up into smaller stones that will be extremely difficult to connect to the Louvre robbery. Gemstone expert an authority in the field, creator of the digital series focusing on gemstones and previously served as the prestigious publication's jewellery editor for two decades, explained the perpetrators had "carefully selected" the most valuable treasures from the Louvre's collection. The "impressively sized perfect gems" are expected to be removed from their settings and disposed of, she said, excluding the crown from Empress Eugénie which contains smaller gems set in it and was considered "too dangerous to handle," she added. This might account for why it was dropped during the escape, together with a second artifact, and recovered by police. Empress Eugenie's tiara that was taken, contains extremely rare natural pearls which are incredibly valuable, experts say. Although the artifacts are regarded as having immeasurable worth, the historian anticipates they to be sold for a small percentage of their value. "They will go to individuals who are able to handle these," she explained. "Many people will seek for the stolen goods – the thieves will accept any amount available." What specific amount would they generate in money if sold on? Concerning the potential value of the haul, the expert stated the cut-up parts could be worth "multiple millions." The gems and removed precious metal might achieve as much as ten million pounds (millions in euros; millions in US currency), says Tobias Kormind, chief executive of an established company, an online jeweller. He told the BBC the perpetrators will require an experienced professional to remove the gems, and an expert gem cutter to alter the bigger identifiable gems. Minor components that were not easily identifiable could be sold immediately and although difficult to determine the precise value of every gem taken, the larger ones might value about half a million pounds each, he noted. "We know there are a minimum of four of that size, therefore combining each of them together with the gold components, it's likely coming close to £10m," he stated. "The diamond and luxury goods trade is liquid and numerous purchasers exist within gray markets that avoid questioning too many questions." Hope persists that the stolen goods might resurface in original condition eventually – but those hopes are fading with each passing day. There is a precedent – a jewelry display at the V&A Museum includes an item of jewellery previously stolen before reappearing in a public event many years after. Definitely are numerous French citizens are deeply shocked regarding the theft, having felt a cultural bond toward the treasures. "We don't necessarily value gems since it represents a question of privilege, and that doesn't necessarily carry positive associations among French people," a heritage expert, head of heritage at French jeweller the historical business, explained