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French authorities are desperate to retrieve irreplaceable treasures taken from the Louvre Museum in a daring broad daylight theft, but experts have warned it could be impossible to recover them.

At the heart of Paris this past Sunday, thieves gained access to the most popular museum globally, taking eight valued items then fleeing using scooters in a audacious theft that was completed in under ten minutes.

Dutch art detective an expert in the field stated publicly he feared the stolen items may already be "already dismantled", after being taken apart into many fragments.

There is a strong chance the artifacts may be disposed of for a fraction of their worth and taken out of France, several authorities have said.

Who May Be Behind the Heist

The perpetrators are experienced criminals, according to the expert, evidenced by the speed with which they got inside and outside of the museum so quickly.

"Realistically speaking, for an average individual, people don't suddenly decide overnight thinking, I'm going to become a thief, and begin with the world-famous museum," he explained.

"This isn't their first heist," he continued. "They've carried out other burglaries. They are confident and they believed, we might get away with this plan, and took the chance."

As further evidence the professionalism of the group is considered significant, a specialist police unit with a "strong track record in cracking major theft cases" has been given responsibility with tracking them down.

Law enforcement have said they suspect the heist is linked to a sophisticated gang.

Organised crime groups like these generally have two primary purposes, French prosecutor Laure Beccuau explained. "Either to act for the benefit of a financier, or to acquire expensive jewelry to conduct money laundering operations."

The detective suggests it seems highly unlikely to market the jewels as complete pieces, and he said stealing-to-order for a specific client is a scenario that mainly exists in movies.

"No one desires to acquire a piece so identifiable," he explained. "It cannot be shown to your friends, you cannot leave it to family, it cannot be sold."

Potential £10m Price Tag

Mr Brand believes the artifacts are likely broken down and broken up, including the gold and silver components melted and the precious stones cut up into less recognizable pieces that could be extremely difficult to track back to the museum theft.

Gemstone expert a renowned expert, host of the audio program If Jewels Could Talk and formerly worked as the prestigious publication's jewellery editor for two decades, stated the thieves had "specifically chosen" the most important treasures from the museum's holdings.

The "beautiful large flawless stones" will probably be extracted of their mountings and sold, she said, with the exception of the crown from Empress Eugénie which has smaller stones incorporated within it and proved to be "too hot to keep," she added.

This could explain why it was dropped as they got away, along with another piece, and recovered by police.

The royal crown which was stolen, has rare organic pearls which are incredibly valuable, authorities indicate.

Although the artifacts are considered having immeasurable worth, Ms Woolton expects them will be disposed of for a fraction of their worth.

"They will go to buyers who are able to handle these," she explained. "Everyone will be looking for these items – the thieves will accept any amount available."

What specific amount would they generate as payment when disposed of? Concerning the potential value of the loot, Mr Brand indicated the separated elements could be worth "several million."

The jewels and gold stolen could fetch up to ten million pounds (over eleven million euros; $13.4m), says Tobias Kormind, chief executive of a prominent jeweler, an internet-based gem dealer.

He told the BBC the perpetrators must have a trained specialist to separate the jewels, and an expert gem cutter to modify the bigger identifiable gems.

Minor components that were harder to trace would be disposed of quickly and although difficult to determine the specific worth of each piece removed, the larger ones might value around £500,000 for individual pieces, he explained.

"There are no fewer than four of that size, thus totaling all of those along with the gold, one could estimate coming close to ten million," he stated.

"The gemstone and gemstone market has buyers and numerous purchasers exist on the fringes that won't inquire about origins."

Some optimism remains that the artifacts could reappear intact eventually – yet this possibility are narrowing as the days pass.

There is a precedent – a historical showcase at the cultural institution includes an item of jewellery previously stolen that later resurfaced in a public event many years after.

What is certain is many in France feel profoundly disturbed regarding the theft, expressing a personal connection to the jewels.

"We don't necessarily like jewellery since it represents a matter concerning authority, and that doesn't necessarily receive favorable interpretation in France," a heritage expert, director of historical collections at French jeweller the prestigious firm, said