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Police in France are urgently trying to locate extremely valuable gemstones taken from the Louvre Museum in a brazen broad daylight theft, yet authorities are concerned it may already be past the point of recovery to save them.

Within the French capital on Sunday, burglars entered by force the top tourist attraction worldwide, making off with eight cherished pieces and getting away via motor scooters in a audacious theft that took about under ten minutes.

Dutch art detective a renowned specialist stated publicly he suspects the artifacts may already be "already dismantled", once separated into numerous components.

There is a strong chance the pieces will be sold for a fraction of their worth and smuggled out of French territory, other experts have said.

Potential Suspects Behind the Theft

The group acted professionally, as the detective stated, evidenced by the speed with which they got in and out of the building in record time.

"Realistically speaking, for regular people, people don't suddenly decide one day planning, I'm going to become a criminal, choosing as first target the Louvre Museum," he noted.

"This isn't their initial robbery," he said. "They've carried out things before. They're self-assured and they thought, it might work out with this attempt, and took the chance."

As further evidence the expertise of the group is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "strong track record in solving significant crimes" has been tasked with tracking them down.

Police officials have indicated they think the heist is connected to a sophisticated gang.

Sophisticated gangs such as these typically have two primary purposes, Paris prosecutor the prosecutor explained. "Either to act working for a financier, or to obtain expensive jewelry to perform financial crimes."

The detective suggests it would be impossible to dispose of the artifacts in their original form, and he said stealing-to-order for an individual buyer represents a situation that typically occurs in movies.

"Few people wish to acquire a piece this recognizable," he stated. "It cannot be shown to your friends, it cannot be passed to family, you cannot sell it."

Possible £10m Worth

Mr Brand believes the artifacts are likely broken down and separated, along with gold elements and silver components melted and the jewels cut up into smaller components that will be virtually impossible to connect to the museum theft.

Gemstone expert a renowned expert, who presents the digital series If Jewels Could Talk and previously served as Vogue magazine's jewellery editor for two decades, explained the perpetrators had "carefully selected" the most important jewels from the Louvre's collection.

The "beautiful large exquisite jewels" are expected to be removed of their mountings and sold, she noted, except for the crown from the historical figure which features less valuable pieces mounted in it and proved to be "too hot to possess," she added.

This might account for why it was dropped as they got away, together with another piece, and found by authorities.

The imperial headpiece which was stolen, has rare organic pearls which have a very large value, authorities indicate.

Although the artifacts are considered being beyond valuation, the expert anticipates they could be marketed for a small percentage of their value.

"They will go to someone who are able to take possession," she said. "Everyone will be looking for the stolen goods – the thieves will accept whatever price is offered."

What specific amount could they fetch financially if sold on? Regarding the estimated price of the stolen goods, Mr Brand said the dismantled components might value "multiple millions."

The gems and gold stolen could fetch as much as ten million pounds (over eleven million euros; $13.4m), stated by a jewelry specialist, senior official of an established company, a digital jewelry retailer.

The expert explained the thieves must have a trained specialist to remove the gems, and a professional diamond cutter to alter the larger recognisable stones.

Minor components that were not easily identifiable could be sold right away and although difficult to estimate the precise value of each piece removed, the more significant gems may amount to about half a million pounds for individual pieces, he noted.

"There are at least four that large, therefore combining each of them up plus the precious metal, it's likely reaching ten million," he said.

"The gemstone and gemstone market is active and numerous purchasers exist in less regulated areas that avoid questioning about origins."

Some optimism remains that the artifacts may be found intact in the future – although such expectations are diminishing as the days pass.

Similar cases have occurred – a jewelry display at the V&A Museum includes a piece of jewelry stolen in 1948 that later resurfaced in an auction several decades later.

What is certain includes the French public are deeply shocked about the museum robbery, expressing a cultural bond toward the treasures.

"There isn't always value gems as it symbolizes an issue of authority, and which doesn't always receive favorable interpretation in France," a heritage expert, curatorial leader at Parisian jewelry house Maison Vever, said