200-carat Egyptian necklace stolen from Vienna museum

A police investigation is underway in Vienna after a 200‑carat platinum necklace, studded with 673 diamonds and formerly owned by Egyptian royalty, was stolen from the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) during opening hours. The piece, which had been on loan to the museum, vanished in a swift, coordinated robbery that left the museum’s security system in disarray.

Authorities have released photographs taken by the museum’s surveillance cameras that identify two men involved in the heist. The suspects are currently being hunted by Austrian police, who say the theft is part of a broader wave of high‑profile smash‑and‑grab incidents targeting European cultural institutions. The MAK’s security footage shows the perpetrators entering the gallery, disabling alarms, and removing the necklace before escaping in a vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing, with police urging anyone with information to come forward. Officials have not yet disclosed whether the necklace has been recovered or whether it has been sold on the black market, but the case underscores the growing threat to cultural heritage sites across the continent.