Historic Queen’s Necklace Stolen
A historic diamond necklace once owned by Egypt’s Queen Nazli has been stolen in a daylight smash-and-grab at Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts.
Footage shows the museum in central Vienna following the theft, with drawings of the missing jewellery marking where the historic piece were once displayed.
Two men entered the MAK as ordinary visitors at about 14:00 local time on August 27, bought tickets and walked into the exhibition during opening hours. Police said they smashed a glass display case with a hammer, grabbed the necklace and fled on foot towards the nearby Stadtpark.
Armed Suspect Sparks Manhunt
Vienna State Police spokesperson Philipp Haslinger said a national and international manhunt was under way. He noted that investigators had recovered extensive evidence from the museum, with one suspect appearing to have carried a firearm.
“Extensive evidence has been secured, including photos from video surveillance. The evidence shows that one of the perpetrators was armed with what appears to be a real firearm, but did not use it; he merely carried it openly,” Haslinger said.
Investigators said the suspects escaped on foot towards Stadtpark, where their trail disappeared. Haslinger shared that DNA and other leads were being examined after numerous tips from the public.
“The public is being asked to participate,” he said. “Numerous tips have already been received. On the other hand, extensive leads are, of course, being investigated. Measures in this regard – such as DNA matching and other procedures – are being reviewed.”
Necklace Has Royal History
The stolen platinum necklace was made by French jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels in 1939 and once belonged to Queen Nazli, mother of Egypt’s King Farouk. The piece contains more than 200 carats of diamonds arranged in a striking sunburst design.
Queen Nazli wore it at the 1939 wedding of her daughter, Princess Fawzia, to Iranian Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who later became Shah of Iran.
The necklace sold at Sotheby’s in New York in 2015 for about $4.3 million before later joining the Van Cleef & Arpels collection. It was being shown in Vienna as part of the MAK’s ‘GLANZSTUCKE’ exhibition devoted to the French jewellery house.
The Vienna State Criminal Police Office is leading the investigation, with officers examining evidence and surveillance footage and questioning further witnesses.
Article by Viory
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