Thieves bought tickets before stealing expensive necklace

Police in Vienna are investigating a brazen art heist where two men bought admission tickets to a museum before smashing a display case and making off with a valuable necklace. The incident occurred at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

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The two men had not been wearing masks, had paid for access to the museum, and were clearly visible on surveillance cameras.

The stolen item is a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace by the renowned French designer Van Cleef & Arpels. The piece, adorned with 673 gemstones, is reportedly valued at several million dollars. According to police, the two perpetrators, who were not wearing masks, paid for their museum entry and were clearly visible on surveillance cameras.

MAK confirmed the theft but declined to comment while the investigation is ongoing. The exhibition featuring the necklace, which opened in June and was dedicated to French designers, was scheduled to close on September 27. It has now been closed following the theft.

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They smashed the glass case with a hammer before 'fleeing with the jewelry in an unknown direction'.

The necklace holds historical significance, having been designed for Egypt's former royal family and worn by Queen Nazli in 1939 at the wedding of her daughter, Faiza, to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who later became the Shah of Iran. Van Cleef & Arpels described the stolen piece on their website as a "masterpiece of white jewelry."

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MAK confirmed the theft but stated it would not comment while the investigation was ongoing.

This incident is the latest in a string of high-profile thefts from European museums. Most notably, thieves broke into the Louvre in Paris last October, escaping with $102 million worth of jewelry in less than eight minutes.

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masterpiece of white jewelry