World News
Thieves steal historic $4.3 million diamond necklace from Vienna museum
Austrian authorities are searching for two suspects who smashed a glass case during a daylight exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts.
The short version
- Two undisguised men smashed a display case with a hammer at Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts to steal a historical 673-diamond platinum necklace.
- The stolen piece, formerly owned by Queen Consort Nazli of Egypt, was auctioned by Sotheby's for $4.3 million in 2015.
- Police are analyzing museum surveillance footage and appealing for public assistance in identifying the suspects.
- Art crime experts warn the thieves may attempt to disassemble the necklace and melt the metal, which would drastically reduce its overall value.
Key facts
- Austrian police are searching for two slim, dark-haired suspects who stole a platinum and diamond necklace from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.[NBC News]
- The stolen piece features 673 diamonds totaling 200 carats and was previously worn by Queen Consort Nazli of Egypt at her daughter's wedding in 1939.[NBC News]
- The necklace sold at a Sotheby's auction in New York in 2015 for $4.3 million.[NBC News]
- The perpetrators purchased admission tickets, brought a hammer past museum security, and broke open a display case during a Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition.[NBC News]
- The robbery occurred in broad daylight and was entirely captured on the museum's security cameras.[NBC News]
What remains uncertain
- The current whereabouts of the suspects and whether the necklace remains intact have not been confirmed by law enforcement.[NBC News]
Sources
- Thieves steal royal necklace from Vienna museum in smash-and-grab heistNBC News - Top Stories