Austrian police are hunting two men suspected of stealing a 200-carat platinum necklace encrusted with 673 diamonds from a museum in Vienna. The piece, once owned by Egyptian royalty, was on loan to the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) and was snatched during opening hours on Thursday.

Authorities released security camera images of the unmasked suspects, who bought tickets to the exhibition before shattering a glass display case with a hammer. The thieves fled with the necklace, prompting a citywide manhunt involving police dogs. Investigators believe the heist may have been a 'contract job' for a criminal gang, according to local media.

The necklace was part of a Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition featuring over 300 works, which had been on display since June. No one was injured, though several witnesses were present. The piece once belonged to Queen Consort Nazli of Egypt, who wore it at her daughter's wedding in 1939. It was sold at Sotheby's in 2015 for $4.3 million.

The exhibition, scheduled to end on September 27, has been temporarily closed. This heist is part of a worrying trend of brazen thefts at European museums. In October, thieves stole crown jewels worth €88 million from the Louvre in Paris. Just this week, a treasure trove of Bronze Age gold was raided in Spain, and four Renaissance masterpieces were stolen in Sicily.

Europol has warned that museum robberies are becoming increasingly violent, with criminals using guns, sledgehammers, and even explosives. The Vienna heist highlights the vulnerability of cultural institutions and the growing sophistication of art thieves across Europe.

Source: www.theguardian.com