Vienna police report theft of €5 million necklace once owned by Iranian shah's mother-in-law
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Vienna police said a diamond necklace worth about €5 million was stolen from the Museum of Applied Arts on August 27. The Van Cleef & Arpels piece, once owned by the mother-in-law of Iran's last shah, was taken by two men who smashed a display case during a jewelry exhibition. Police suspect a commissioned crime possibly linked to a Balkan-based group.
Key Facts
- The necklace was stolen from Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts on August 27.
- The piece is made of platinum and set with 673 diamonds totaling about 200 carats.
- It was sold at auction in New York in 2015 for $4.3 million.
- Police suspect the theft was commissioned and possibly organized by a Balkan-based group.
The Theft
Two men entered the museum during a jewelry exhibition, smashed a display case, and took the necklace. The theft occurred on August 27 at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. Vienna police described the crime as likely commissioned and possibly linked to a Balkan-based group.
The Necklace
The Van Cleef & Arpels necklace is made of platinum and set with 673 diamonds totaling about 200 carats. It was created for the Egyptian royal family in the 20th century. Queen Nazli Sabri of Egypt wore it to the 1939 wedding of her daughter Princess Fawzia to the future Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The necklace was sold at auction in New York in 2015 for $4.3 million.
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Vienna police report theft of €5 million necklace once owned by Iranian shah's mother-in-law
