Thieves steal $3.5 million diamond necklace from Vienna museum

Vienna is on high alert after a brazen theft saw a diamond necklace worth around $3.5 million disappear from the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

Security cameras captured two men, not wearing masks, smashing the display case with a hammer to snatch the impressive necklace. The platinum piece, adorned with 673 diamonds totaling 200 carats, was originally designed for an Egyptian royal family. It was on display in Vienna as part of an exhibition dedicated to jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels.

Authorities released photos of the suspects, who reportedly fled towards Vienna Stadtpark immediately after the heist. Police appealed for witnesses, noting that one of the perpetrators was seen carrying a real firearm. The museum's general director, Lilli Hollein, expressed shock, emphasizing that special security measures were in place and staff reacted as trained during the "armed incident," with no injuries reported.

This incident follows a string of similar high-profile thefts across Europe. Recently, a collection of prehistoric jewelry was stolen from a Spanish museum, and four priceless Renaissance paintings vanished from a museum in Sicily. Italian art crime units have also recovered masterpieces by Cézanne, Renoir, and Matisse that were stolen earlier in the year. Europol has warned that museum robberies are becoming increasingly aggressive, potentially indicating the involvement of new criminal networks.

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The theft of such a valuable piece of jewelry has shocked us.