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Police in France are urgently trying to locate irreplaceable gemstones robbed from the Louvre Museum in a audacious daytime heist, although specialists are concerned it might be impossible to get them back.

Within the French capital this past Sunday, thieves gained access to the top tourist attraction worldwide, stealing eight valued items and getting away on scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately under ten minutes.

International art investigator Arthur Brand told the BBC he suspects the stolen items are likely "long gone", once separated into numerous components.

Experts suggest the stolen jewels will be sold for a fraction of their worth and illegally transported from the country, several authorities indicated.

Who May Be Behind the Theft

The thieves are experienced criminals, as the detective stated, evidenced by the way they managed through the museum of the building in record time.

"As you might expect, as a normal person, one doesn't just get up in the morning thinking, I will become a criminal, let's start with the Louvre Museum," he said.

"This won't be their initial robbery," he added. "They have done other burglaries. They are confident and they calculated, we could succeed with this, and took the chance."

In another sign the expertise of the group is considered significant, an elite police team with a "strong track record in solving high-profile robberies" has been given responsibility with finding them.

Authorities have stated they believe the robbery relates to a sophisticated gang.

Organised crime groups of this type typically have two primary purposes, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor explained. "Either they operate working for a sponsor, or to acquire precious stones to carry out financial crimes."

The detective suggests it seems highly unlikely to sell the items in their original form, and he said commissioned theft for an individual buyer is a scenario that typically occurs in movies.

"No one desires to acquire an item this recognizable," he stated. "It cannot be shown publicly, you can't bequeath it to your children, it cannot be sold."

Possible £10m Worth

The expert thinks the objects will be dismantled and broken up, with the gold and precious metals liquefied and the precious stones re-cut into less recognizable pieces that could be extremely difficult to trace back to the Paris heist.

Gemstone expert a renowned expert, host of the digital series about historical jewelry and formerly worked as the famous fashion magazine's jewellery editor for 20 years, told the BBC the perpetrators had "specifically chosen" the most valuable treasures from the institution's artifacts.

The "beautiful large perfect gems" will probably be removed of their mountings and marketed, she explained, except for the crown from the historical figure which features less valuable pieces set in it and proved to be "too dangerous to keep," she added.

This could explain why it was dropped during the escape, along with another piece, and found by authorities.

The imperial headpiece which was stolen, has rare natural pearls which are incredibly valuable, specialists confirm.

While the items are regarded as being priceless, Ms Woolton anticipates they could be marketed for a fraction of their worth.

"They're destined to someone who are able to take possession," she said. "Authorities worldwide will search for these – the thieves will accept what they can get."

What specific amount would they generate in money if sold on? When asked about the potential value of the loot, the detective said the separated elements could be worth "many millions."

The gems and removed precious metal could fetch approximately £10 million (over eleven million euros; thirteen million dollars), says an industry expert, managing director of an established company, an internet-based gem dealer.

The expert explained the thieves must have a skilled expert to extract the stones, and a skilled stone worker to alter the bigger identifiable gems.

Less noticeable gems that couldn't be easily recognized could be sold quickly and although difficult to estimate the exact price of all the stones stolen, the bigger stones might value approximately £500,000 for individual pieces, he explained.

"There are no fewer than four comparable in size, so adding all of those along with the gold components, one could estimate coming close to £10m," he stated.

"The diamond and precious stone industry is active and plenty of customers operate within gray markets that won't inquire regarding sources."

Hope persists that the stolen goods might resurface undamaged in the future – although such expectations are diminishing over time.

Similar cases have occurred – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution features an artifact taken decades ago before reappearing in a sale much later.

Definitely is many in France feel profoundly disturbed regarding the theft, demonstrating an emotional attachment toward the treasures.

"There isn't always value gems because it's a matter concerning authority, and that doesn't necessarily carry positive associations within French culture," a heritage expert, curatorial leader at established French company the prestigious firm, said