Broadday robbery: 600‑diamond necklace swept from Vienna museum

Sun Sep 06 2026 06:27:55 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Two men break into Vienna Museum of Applied Arts in daylight, stealing a legendary 600‑diamond necklace worth over €3.5 million.

In a brazen daylight raid, two intruders smashed a glass display case at the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts and walked out with a 600‑diamond necklace. Police now hunt the suspects, who may have had a real firearm, and are asking the public for tips. The necklace, once owned by Queen Nazli, was on loan for an exhibition of Van Cleef & Arpels. It is believed to be worth up to $4 million. The theft adds to a string of high‑profile museum heists across Europe.

Broadday robbery: 600‑diamond necklace swept from Vienna museum

In an audacious daylight heist, two men broke into the Vienna Museum of Applied Arts, smashed a glass display case, and walked away with a 600‑diamond necklace once owned by Queen Nazli. Police released CCTV footage of the suspect pair and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

The stolen necklace, designed for the former Egyptian royal family and currently on loan for a Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition, is valued at over €3.5 million (about $4 million). The burglars also reportedly carried what appeared to be a real firearm, according to police statements.

After the theft, the museum’s security team followed established protocols calmly, and no one was injured. Museum director Lilli Hollein said the incident “hit us hard” and that a security plan had been put in place for the exhibition.

The Vienna escapade joins a recent string of high‑profile museum heists across Europe, including bronze‑age artifacts stolen in Spain and Renaissance paintings lost in Italy. Europol said these thefts have become increasingly violent, hinting at new criminal networks.

The museum has reopened the exhibition for the public, but the priceless necklace remains missing. Police units, including forensic experts and dog handlers, are actively combing the city and surrounding Lower Austria for clues.