Austrian police are searching for two men alleged to have stolen a 200-carat platinum necklace, encrusted with 673 diamonds, from a Vienna museum. The historic piece, which was on loan to the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK), once belonged to Egyptian royalty.
Authorities in Vienna have released pictures of the suspects, captured by security cameras during the heist. Police said the unmasked men bought tickets to the exhibition before shattering a glass display case with a hammer during opening hours on Thursday afternoon and fleeing with the jewellery in an unknown direction.
Officers conducted a search through the city centre, deploying a police tracking dog. The Kronen newspaper reported that investigators believe the men were likely carrying out a “contract job” on behalf of a criminal gang.
The MAK stated that the necklace was snatched from a jewellery exhibition that had been on display since June. The exhibition, which was due to end on 27 September, has been temporarily closed, and a guided tour planned for Friday afternoon was cancelled.
The necklace, sold by Sotheby’s in New York in 2015 for $4.3m, was worn by Queen Consort Nazli of Egypt at her daughter Fawzia's wedding in 1939.