Special hammer included

How Professional the Jewelry Heist at the Museum Was

Only a single photograph remains as a reminder of the diamond necklace at the MAK in Vienna. The manhunt for the two suspects continues in full force.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/IVAN EROFEEV, LPD Wien, zVg)

Following the heist at a Vienna museum, the investigation continues in full swing. Meanwhile, new, explosive details are coming to light. A “Krone” on-site report from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna, the day after the spectacular heist.

Where the multi-million-dollar diamond necklace from the prestigious Parisian brand “Van Cleef & Arpels” once sparkled, only a sketch now serves as a reminder of the exorbitantly expensive piece of jewelry that once adorned a queen—the paper hangs alone in a display case in the special exhibition. There is still no trace of the two perpetrators.

Easy Pickings Despite Bulletproof Glass
The “Krone” has since been able to uncover more details about how the theft unfolded: The necklace was on display behind bulletproof glass for the special exhibition “Glanzstücke.” The two men paid for their admission tickets and—as reported —strolled through the museum on Stubenring as “ordinary” visitors. Then everything happened in quick succession.

Struck 40 Times with a Diamond Tip
Using a special hammer they had brought with them, the duo deliberately struck the centimeter-thick bulletproof glass more than 40 times until it gave way. The entire operation took less than a minute, as shown by surveillance camera footage. This means the men must have trained specifically for the robbery and obtained a special hammer—presumably with a diamond tip. They then specifically targeted the breathtaking necklace from the prestigious jeweler, which is a favorite among royalty and celebrities from around the world.

... dark hair, a dark beard, black outerwear, and dark sneakers with white soles.(Bild: LPD Wien)

The suspects are both between 170 and 175 cm tall and have a slender build, ...(Bild: LPD Wien)

Real pros at work, one with a firearm
Then the apparently well-trained thieves fled on foot toward the city park. A large contingent of law enforcement officers arrived on the scene immediately. Police dogs were also deployed. According to the current status of the investigation, at least one of the suspects is believed to be armed with a real firearm.

The professional modus operandi resembles that of the notorious Pink Panther Gang. The police are still asking for tips at 01/31310-33800.

A security guard has been stationed in front of the museum since Friday.(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

MAK Director
 speaks out“On-site security services were contracted out to an external security provider. Since one of the perpetrators was armed, the security personnel’s top priority was to safely evacuate visitors from the exhibition halls and avoid a direct confrontation with the perpetrators,” explains MAK Director Lilli Hollein.

The necklace was once worn by the Egyptian Queen Nazli.(Bild: zVg)

The secret behind the jewelry
The piece is set with 673 diamonds. It was commissioned by the Egyptian royal family. It was worn by Egyptian Queen Nazli in 1939 at the wedding of her daughter Fawzia to the Iranian Crown Prince and later Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

In 2015, the expensive piece went under the hammer at Sotheby’s auction house in New York and was sold for $4.3 million (3.7 million euros). The former queen, having fallen on hard times, was later forced to sell her jewelry.