New Delhi: An Egyptian diamond necklace has been stolen from its display at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna. An international manhunt is underway for two men who allegedly smashed their way into a glass display case and fled with the necklace, valued at around $4 million.<\/p>\n
The suspects reportedly<\/a> entered the museum as ordinary visitors at around 2 pm on 27 August. They bought tickets to the exhibition \u201cGlanzst\u00fccke: Van Cleef & Arpels High Jewellery x Masterpieces from the MAK Collection\u201d and made their way to the display case holding a platinum necklace adorned with 673 diamonds, totaling more than 200 carats.<\/p>\n One of the two men was armed, while the other used a hammer to smash the security glass. The glass case reportedly took 41 hits before breaking. The thieves then grabbed the necklace, leaving the other jewellery pieces inside the case untouched.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tShow Full Article<\/p>\n The pair then fled on foot towards the nearby Stadtpark. No one was injured, and museum staff did not attempt to intervene.<\/p>\n Police launch international manhunt<\/p>\n Vienna police (LPD Wien) released<\/a> clear CCTV images showing the unmasked suspects in an appeal for information from the public. Investigators have examined forensic evidence, surveillance footage and witness statements, while police dog units were deployed across Vienna.<\/p>\n The stolen necklace has also been entered into Interpol\u2019s database of stolen works of art, as authorities widen the search beyond Austria.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some Austrian media<\/a> have suggested that the theft may have been a targeted \u201ccontract job\u201d carried out for a criminal group, although police have not publicly confirmed the theory.<\/p>\n