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Thieves Smash Museum Case for Diamond Necklace Worth Millions in Vienna
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- Two men committed a daring robbery at Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts, stealing a diamond necklace once owned by an Egyptian queen from an exhibition of Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry.
- The thieves smashed a display case and fled with the necklace, valued between $3.6 million and $4.6 million, with one of them reportedly armed; no injuries were reported.
- The stolen necklace has historical significance, having belonged to Queen Nazli of Egypt, whose jewels were auctioned in 1976 after the royal family's property was seized following the 1952 military coup.
- Museum officials and police are searching for the suspects, described as two slim men with dark hair and short beards, and the museum is reviewing its security in light of recent high-profile European museum thefts.
- Recent similar thefts include jewel heists at the Louvre and art and artifact thefts from museums in Italy and Spain, highlighting ongoing challenges in protecting valuable cultural items.
