The robbery occurred on the afternoon of 28/8 during opening hours at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK). Two male suspects purchased tickets to the exhibition, then used a hammer to smash a glass display case, stealing the diamond-studded necklace before fleeing.
Vienna police deployed forces in the city center and used sniffer dogs to track the suspects. They also appealed to the public for any information. According to the Kronen newspaper, investigators suspect this was a contract robbery carried out by a large criminal gang.
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Egyptian Queen Nazli's diamond necklace displayed in France in 2020. Photo: *AFP* |
The necklace had been on display at MAK's jewelry exhibition since June, alongside over 300 works by French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels. Sotheby's auction house sold the piece in New York for 4,3 million USD in 2015.
Exhibition documents indicate the necklace once belonged to Egyptian Queen Nazli. She wore the jewelry at her daughter Fawzia's wedding to Iranian Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1939.
MAK stated the exhibition featured about 200 unique and rarely displayed artifacts, including works from the museum's collection and items reflecting Van Cleef & Arpels' 120-year history. The museum has closed the exhibition, which was scheduled to run until 27/9.
This incident comes amidst a series of audacious robberies targeting European museums and cultural institutions. In 10/2025, a group of suspects broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris in broad daylight, stealing royal jewelry valued at 88 million EUR in minutes.
On 28/8, another group of thieves also broke into the Villena Treasure exhibition in Spain, which houses a collection of Bronze Age gold artifacts described as "one of Europe's most important prehistoric treasures."
In August, four important works by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina were stolen from a museum in Messina, Italy.
Europol this month also warned that museum thefts in Europe are becoming increasingly bold. Suspects sometimes carry guns and attack staff, using sledgehammers, axes, or even explosives to break display cases and steal artifacts.
Thanh Danh (According to Guardian)
