Details on the Art Theft

Crime Scene at the MAK: The 5-Million-Euro Necklace

The necklace at the “Glanzstücke” exhibition before the heist(Bild: Krone-Collage/IVAN EROFEEV, zVg)

It is one-of-a-kind and of immense value—but its current whereabouts remain completely unknown. As reported, early Thursday afternoon, two as-yet-unknown individuals literally struck at an art exhibition at Vienna’s MAK. The pair smashed one of the display cases with a hammer and fled with the priceless treasure.

The two unknown men pretended to be interested visitors when they entered the “Glanzstücke” exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts around 2:00 p.m. Then everything apparently happened very quickly. They smashed the display case containing the coveted object with a hammer, removed the exorbitantly expensive necklace, and fled on foot toward Stadtpark. One of the two perpetrators is said to have been carrying what is believed to be a real firearm. According to police spokeswoman Anna Gutt, it was not used, but the man brandished it openly to clear a path for himself.

Worn by the Egyptian queen
The piece of jewelry is set with 673 diamonds. It was designed on commission from the Egyptian royal family. It was reportedly worn by Queen Nazli of Egypt in 1939 at the wedding of her daughter Fawzia to the Iranian Crown Prince and later Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Queen Nazli wearing the stolen necklace she wore at her daughter’s wedding in 1939(Bild: zVg)

A close-up of the stolen necklace(Bild: LPD Wien)

Auctioned at Sotheby’s in 2015
In 2015, it was sold at auction for $4.3 million (3.7 million euros) at the renowned auction house Sotheby’s in New York. And now it was part of the current exhibition “Masterpieces,” which features jewelry by Van Cleef & Arpels as well as objects from the MAK collection—until the heist on Thursday.

One of the two suspects(Bild: LPD Wien)

The second suspect(Bild: LPD Wien)

Investigators are currently reviewing videos from around the MAK and analyzing evidence, hoping to find clues leading to the two fugitives. The public is also being asked for assistance. In addition to tips regarding the perpetrators, information about the stolen necklace may also be important to investigators. 

Relevant tips—including anonymous ones—are requested to be reported to the Vienna State Criminal Police Office at 01-31310-33800.

In any case—as previously reported—it is suspected to be a “contract job”; it is likely a targeted heist carried out by a group based in the Balkans. The investigation is in full swing. A nationwide and international manhunt is underway for the duo.