An international manhunt is underway for two men who stole a necklace decorated with more than 600 diamonds from the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) on Thursday afternoon. Police said the suspects bought a ticket for the exhibition before smashing a glass display case and seizing the platinum and diamond necklace.
The necklace, believed to be worth more than $4m (£3m; €3.5m), was part of a Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition at MAK. Police stated that one of the perpetrators was also believed to have been carrying what was thought to be a real firearm. The suspects fled towards the Vienna Stadtpark after the theft.
Lilli Hollein, MAK general director, stated that the museum had developed a security plan with Van Cleef & Arpels for the exhibition and that staff reacted calmly to the "armed incident." No one was injured. Police dog units have been deployed, and forensic experts are analysing evidence and CCTV footage. The exhibition has since reopened.