Two armed thieves stole a diamond necklace valued at approximately $4.3 million (3.7 million euros) from the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna on Thursday afternoon. The robbery occurred during the museum's operating hours, with the two men reportedly posing as regular visitors before smashing a glass display case to grab the valuable item.
The stolen piece is identified as a royal necklace crafted by luxury jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels, featuring 673 diamonds and weighing over 200 carats. It was originally commissioned for Queen Nazli of Egypt, who wore it to her daughter Princess Fawzia's wedding to the future Shah of Iran in 1939. The necklace fetched nearly $4.3 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York in 2015.
The MAK is currently hosting an exhibition titled "Glanzstücke" (Masterpieces), showcasing over 300 objects from the Van Cleef & Arpels collection. Police have launched a large-scale manhunt, distributing surveillance photos of the suspects described as slender men with dark hair and beards, wearing dark clothing and sneakers. No injuries were reported during the brazen daylight heist. The museum confirmed the theft but declined further comment due to ongoing investigations.
