Historic Diamond Necklace Stolen in Vienna Museum Heist
A priceless necklace adorned with over 600 diamonds, once belonging to Egyptian royalty, was stolen during a daytime smash-and-grab at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. Authorities have launched an international manhunt for the suspects involved in the $4 million theft.
Sources
Two men stole a priceless 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace worth several million dollars from Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts by smashing a glass display case, fleeing the scene in broad daylight. The necklace, designed for Egypt's deposed Queen Nazli in 1939 and consisting of 673 precious stones, was part of an exhibition by Van Cleef and Arpels. This incident is part of a rising trend of high-profile museum thefts in Europe, including a previous case where thieves stole jewelry worth $102 million from the Louvre in under eight minutes.
An international manhunt is underway for two suspects who stole a platinum and diamond necklace worth over $4 million, adorned with more than 600 diamonds, from the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) after breaking a glass display case. The theft comes amid a spike in violent museum heists across Europe, including recent thefts in Spain and Italy, prompting concerns about security in cultural institutions, as Europol reports a shift toward more aggressive methods by criminal networks. The necklace was worn by Queen Nazli of Egypt in 1939 for her daughter's marriage and weighs over 200 carats, with its value estimated between $3.6 million and $4.6 million during a past auction.
A historic 200-carat platinum necklace encrusted with 673 diamonds, once belonging to Egyptian royalty, was stolen during a smash-and-grab raid at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna, with the theft occurring midday on Thursday. Two suspects, who purchased tickets to the exhibition, shattered a glass display case and fled with the necklace, which was valued at $4.3 million and had been part of a collection featuring over 300 objects from the French jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels. This incident is part of a troubling trend of high-profile robberies in European museums, prompting increased concern over security with reports indicating a rise in violent techniques used by thieves.