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Police in France are making every effort to recover extremely valuable gemstones taken from the Louvre in a audacious daytime heist, yet authorities are concerned it might be too late to recover them.

In Paris this past Sunday, robbers broke into the most popular museum globally, making off with eight precious artifacts before escaping using scooters in a audacious theft that lasted approximately just minutes.

Expert art detective an expert in the field told the BBC he believes the jewels may already be "dispersed", after being taken apart into numerous components.

Experts suggest the artifacts may be disposed of for a fraction of their worth and illegally transported from the country, several authorities indicated.

Potential Suspects Behind the Robbery

The thieves are experienced criminals, as the detective stated, evidenced by the fact they were through the museum of the Louvre with such efficiency.

"Realistically speaking, as a normal person, one doesn't just get up one day thinking, I should become a burglar, let's start with the Louvre Museum," he said.

"This won't be their initial robbery," he continued. "They have done things before. They feel certain and they calculated, it might work out with this attempt, and went for it."

As further evidence the skill of the group is being taken seriously, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in solving high-profile robberies" has been given responsibility with locating the perpetrators.

Police officials have stated they believe the robbery is linked to an organised crime network.

Organised crime groups of this type usually pursue two objectives, legal official a senior official said. "Either they operate on behalf of a financier, or to obtain valuable gems to carry out money laundering operations."

The expert believes it seems impossible to dispose of the artifacts intact, and he noted targeted robbery for a private collector is something that typically occurs in Hollywood films.

"No one desires to handle an item so identifiable," he stated. "It cannot be shown to acquaintances, it cannot be passed to your children, you cannot sell it."

Estimated £10m Price Tag

The detective suggests the objects are likely broken down and broken up, including the gold and silver melted down and the jewels divided into less recognizable pieces that will be virtually impossible to connect to the museum theft.

Jewellery historian an authority in the field, host of the audio program focusing on gemstones and formerly worked as Vogue magazine's jewelry specialist for two decades, told the BBC the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most valuable gemstones from the Louvre's collection.

The "beautiful large perfect gems" would likely be dug out from their settings and sold, she explained, except for the tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie which has smaller stones incorporated within it and was "too hot to handle," she added.

This potentially clarifies why it was dropped during the escape, in addition to one other item, and found by authorities.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that disappeared, features exceptionally uncommon natural pearls which command enormous prices, experts say.

While the items are considered being beyond valuation, Ms Woolton anticipates they could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.

"They will go to someone who is willing to acquire such items," she stated. "Many people will seek for these – the thieves will accept any amount available."

The precise value would they generate in money if sold on? When asked about the potential value of the haul, the expert said the dismantled components could be worth "many millions."

The jewels and taken gold might achieve approximately ten million pounds (millions in euros; $13.4m), stated by a jewelry specialist, chief executive of a prominent jeweler, a digital jewelry retailer.

He told the BBC the gang will require a skilled expert to remove the gems, and an expert gem cutter to change the more noticeable pieces.

Less noticeable gems that were harder to trace would be disposed of immediately and despite challenges to estimate the exact price of each piece removed, the larger ones could be worth about a significant amount per stone, he noted.

"There are no fewer than four of that size, thus totaling all those pieces together with the precious metal, it's likely coming close to ten million," he said.

"The gemstone and precious stone industry is active and there are many buyers in less regulated areas that won't inquire too many questions."

There are hopes that the artifacts may be found intact in the future – but those hopes are narrowing as the days pass.

Similar cases have occurred – a historical showcase at the London museum features an item of jewellery taken decades ago before reappearing in a public event many years after.

Definitely includes the French public feel profoundly disturbed by the Louvre heist, expressing a personal connection toward the treasures.

"We don't necessarily like jewellery because it's an issue of authority, and which doesn't always carry positive associations within French culture," Alexandre Leger, curatorial leader at established French company the prestigious firm, said