Thieves steal 600‑diamond necklace from Vienna museum in broad daylight
Police confirmed that two suspects smashed a glass display case at the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) on Thursday afternoon and seized a platinum and diamond necklace believed to be worth more than $4m (£3m; €3.5m).
The necklace, an exquisite Van Cleef & Arpels creation for the former Egyptian royal family, was on display in an exhibition that will run until September. It features more than 200 carats of diamonds and was originally worn by Queen Nazli in 1939 for her daughter’s marriage to the future Shah of Iran.
An international manhunt has begun. Underline manifold security lapses, the suspects – one possibly carrying a real firearm – managed to flee “towards the Vienna Stadtpark” just south of the museum. Police released CCTV images of the culprits and are asking the public to come forward with any information.
The theft of a highly valuable piece of jewellery has hit us hard.
MAK director Lilli Hollein said staff reacted calmly and followed established protocols. She also announced that the museum recalibrated its security plans in light of recent European museum heists.
These thefts are part of a larger trend of violent museum burglaries, with the Louvre, Spanish, Italian, and other cultural institutions suffering similar attacks. Europol notes a shift towards more aggressive, forceful methods and hints at new criminal networks behind the scenes.
Forensics and police dog units are actively searching the surrounding Lower Austria region, while the exhibition has reopened without the necklace. Police remain hopeful that the stolen piece will eventually be recovered and the thieves brought to justice.
