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French authorities are urgently trying to recover extremely valuable treasures robbed from the Paris museum in a daring broad daylight theft, yet authorities have warned it might be past the point of recovery to recover them.

At the heart of Paris over the weekend, thieves broke into the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight cherished pieces then fleeing via motor scooters in a audacious theft that was completed in eight minutes.

International art investigator a renowned specialist expressed his view he feared the stolen items could be "long gone", after being taken apart into numerous components.

It is highly likely the artifacts could be sold off for a fraction of their worth and taken out of the country, several authorities noted.

Who May Be Behind the Theft

The perpetrators were professionals, as the detective stated, shown by the fact they were in and out of the Louvre so quickly.

"As you might expect, for regular people, people don't suddenly decide overnight planning, I should become a thief, choosing as first target the Louvre Museum," he explained.

"This isn't their initial robbery," he added. "They have done other burglaries. They're self-assured and they thought, we could succeed with this plan, and took the chance."

As further evidence the professionalism of the gang is treated as important, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in solving high-profile robberies" has been tasked with tracking them down.

Law enforcement have indicated they think the theft relates to a sophisticated gang.

Organised crime groups like these generally have two objectives, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor said. "Either they operate on behalf of a sponsor, or to obtain valuable gems to carry out financial crimes."

The detective suggests it is impossible to dispose of the artifacts intact, and he noted stealing-to-order for a private collector is something that typically occurs in fictional stories.

"No one desires to acquire an item so identifiable," he stated. "You cannot show it publicly, you can't bequeath it to family, you cannot sell it."

Estimated £10m Worth

The expert thinks the stolen items will be taken apart and disassembled, including the gold and precious metals liquefied and the precious stones divided into smaller stones that would be extremely difficult to trace back to the Louvre robbery.

Jewellery historian Carol Woolton, who presents the digital series focusing on gemstones and was the prestigious publication's jewellery editor for many years, told the BBC the perpetrators had "specifically chosen" the most significant jewels from the museum's holdings.

The "magnificent perfect gems" would likely be dug out of their mountings and marketed, she explained, with the exception of the crown from the historical figure which features less valuable pieces set in it and proved to be "too hot to handle," she continued.

This could explain why it was dropped while fleeing, together with a second artifact, and found by authorities.

The imperial headpiece that disappeared, contains extremely rare organic pearls which command enormous prices, authorities indicate.

While the items have been described as being priceless, the historian anticipates they will be disposed of for a minimal part of their true price.

"They're destined to buyers who are able to take possession," she stated. "Authorities worldwide will search for these – they will take any amount available."

How much exactly might they bring in money when disposed of? Regarding the potential value of the stolen goods, the expert indicated the dismantled components might value "several million."

The precious stones and removed precious metal could fetch as much as a significant sum (millions in euros; thirteen million dollars), according to a jewelry specialist, chief executive of 77 Diamonds, an online jeweller.

He told the BBC the thieves will require a skilled expert to extract the stones, and a professional diamond cutter to alter the more noticeable pieces.

Minor components that couldn't be easily recognized might be marketed quickly and although difficult to estimate the specific worth of each piece removed, the larger ones may amount to about £500,000 per stone, he noted.

"We know there are a minimum of four that large, thus totaling each of them along with the gold, it's likely coming close to the estimated figure," he said.

"The diamond and gemstone market has buyers and plenty of customers operate within gray markets that avoid questioning about origins."

Some optimism remains that the stolen goods might resurface in original condition in the future – although such expectations are fading over time.

Historical examples exist – the Cartier exhibition at the London museum features a piece of jewelry stolen in 1948 which eventually returned in a public event much later.

Definitely includes the French public are extremely upset about the museum robbery, demonstrating a cultural bond to the jewels.

"There isn't always value gems as it symbolizes an issue of privilege, and which doesn't always have a good connotation in France," Alexandre Leger, curatorial leader at Parisian jewelry house Maison Vever, explained