Two men smash display case, steal valuable jewelry from Vienna museum

Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) was the scene of a daring theft on Thursday afternoon when two men stole a valuable piece of jewelry. The suspects entered the museum as visitors and, during the "Glanzstücke" exhibition, smashed a glass display case to seize the item.

According to museum spokesperson Anna Gutt, the thieves appeared to know exactly which piece they were targeting. While the exact value of the stolen jewelry is still being determined, it is reported to be very high. The incident occurred around 2:00 PM, with witnesses reportedly observing the perpetrators.

Law enforcement is actively pursuing the two men, who reportedly behaved like ordinary visitors before committing the crime. The regional criminal police office is investigating the case as robbery theft. Forensics teams and video analysis were ongoing as of Thursday evening.

The exhibition "Glanzstücke" features approximately 500 exhibits, including unique pieces from the MAK collection and jewelry from the 120-year-old haute joaillerie company Van Cleef & Arpels. Police have appealed to the public for any information regarding the suspects, providing a contact number for the State Criminal Police Office.