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Police in France are urgently trying to recover priceless treasures stolen from the Louvre in a brazen daytime heist, but experts have warned it may already be too late to save them.

Within the French capital over the weekend, thieves broke into the world's most-visited museum, stealing eight cherished pieces then fleeing using scooters in a daring heist that was completed in just minutes.

Expert art detective a renowned specialist told the BBC he believes the jewels are likely "dispersed", after being taken apart into hundreds of parts.

It is highly likely the pieces could be sold off for a fraction of their worth and illegally transported from the country, other experts noted.

Potential Suspects Behind the Robbery

The group were professionals, according to the expert, shown by the fact they were through the museum of the museum so quickly.

"As you might expect, as a normal person, you don't wake up overnight planning, I will become a criminal, let's start with the Louvre," he noted.

"This likely isn't their initial robbery," he added. "They have done previous crimes. They're self-assured and they calculated, we could succeed with this, and took the chance."

In another sign the professionalism of the group is considered significant, a dedicated task force with a "high success rate in solving high-profile robberies" has been tasked with finding them.

Police officials have said they think the heist is linked to a criminal organization.

Sophisticated gangs like these usually pursue two objectives, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. "Either they operate on behalf of a financier, or to obtain precious stones to carry out illegal financial activities."

Mr Brand thinks it seems impossible to sell the items as complete pieces, and he explained stealing-to-order for an individual buyer is something that mainly exists in movies.

"Few people wish to touch a piece this recognizable," he stated. "You cannot show it to acquaintances, it cannot be passed to family, you cannot sell it."

Potential £10m Value

The expert thinks the objects will be dismantled and broken up, including the gold and silver components melted and the precious stones re-cut into smaller stones that could be extremely difficult to track back to the Louvre robbery.

Jewellery historian a renowned expert, creator of the audio program If Jewels Could Talk and formerly worked as the famous fashion magazine's jewellery editor for two decades, explained the robbers had "carefully selected" the most important gemstones from the Louvre's collection.

The "beautiful large flawless stones" would likely be removed from the jewelry pieces and disposed of, she explained, excluding the tiara belonging to the French empress which features less valuable pieces set in it and was considered "too recognizable to possess," she explained.

This could explain the reason it was abandoned as they got away, together with another piece, and located by officials.

Empress Eugenie's tiara that was taken, features exceptionally uncommon organic pearls which command enormous prices, specialists confirm.

Although the artifacts are regarded as being beyond valuation, Ms Woolton believes they could be marketed for a minimal part of their true price.

"They're destined to individuals who are able to take possession," she stated. "Many people will seek for these – they will take any amount available."

How much exactly would they generate financially upon being marketed? Concerning the estimated price of the stolen goods, the detective stated the dismantled components may amount to "many millions."

The jewels and taken gold could fetch approximately ten million pounds (millions in euros; millions in US currency), stated by a jewelry specialist, senior official of a prominent jeweler, an internet-based gem dealer.

He stated the perpetrators must have a skilled expert to remove the gems, and an expert gem cutter to modify the bigger identifiable gems.

Smaller stones that were harder to trace would be disposed of immediately and despite challenges to tell the precise value of every gem removed, the larger ones might value approximately half a million pounds for individual pieces, he explained.

"There are no fewer than four that large, thus totaling all of those along with the gold, you are probably approaching £10m," he concluded.

"The jewelry and luxury goods trade is liquid and plenty of customers operate within gray markets that won't inquire regarding sources."

Hope persists that the items might resurface in original condition eventually – although such expectations are narrowing as the days pass.

There is a precedent – the Cartier exhibition at the cultural institution includes an artifact taken decades ago which eventually returned in a sale several decades later.

What is certain is many in France are extremely upset about the museum robbery, having felt an emotional attachment toward the treasures.

"There isn't always like jewellery since it represents a matter concerning power, and this isn't typically have a good connotation among French people," a jewelry authority, curatorial leader at French jeweller the historical business, said