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Law enforcement in France are desperate to locate priceless jewels stolen from the Louvre Museum in a brazen broad daylight theft, but experts are concerned it may already be impossible to save them.

At the heart of Paris this past Sunday, thieves entered by force the most popular museum globally, making off with eight cherished pieces and getting away on scooters in a daring heist that lasted approximately just minutes.

International art investigator Arthur Brand told the BBC he suspects the stolen items could be "dispersed", once separated into many fragments.

There is a strong chance the stolen jewels will be sold for a mere percentage of their value and taken out of French territory, several authorities indicated.

Who May Be Behind the Robbery

The perpetrators are experienced criminals, according to the expert, evidenced by the way they managed in and out of the Louvre so quickly.

"As you might expect, for an average individual, you don't wake up overnight thinking, I will become a criminal, and begin with the world-famous museum," he said.

"This won't be the first time they've done this," he added. "They've carried out previous crimes. They feel certain and they believed, it might work out with this attempt, and took the chance."

Additionally demonstrating the skill of the thieves is being taken seriously, a dedicated task force with a "proven effectiveness in cracking significant crimes" has been tasked with tracking them down.

Police officials have indicated they think the heist is linked to an organised crime network.

Criminal organizations such as these generally have two primary purposes, French prosecutor Laure Beccuau said. "Either they operate working for a client, or to obtain expensive jewelry to conduct money laundering operations."

The expert believes it would be highly unlikely to market the jewels in their original form, and he noted stealing-to-order for a specific client is a scenario that only happens in movies.

"No one desires to handle an artifact so identifiable," he stated. "You can't display it to your friends, you can't bequeath it to heirs, it cannot be sold."

Possible £10m Worth

Mr Brand believes the objects are likely broken down and broken up, along with gold elements and precious metals liquefied and the gems re-cut into smaller components that will be nearly impossible to track back to the Louvre robbery.

Jewellery historian a renowned expert, creator of the audio program about historical jewelry and previously served as Vogue magazine's jewellery editor for two decades, told the BBC the perpetrators had "cherry-picked" the most valuable treasures from the Louvre's collection.

The "impressively sized perfect gems" would likely be dug out from the jewelry pieces and marketed, she noted, excluding the headpiece of the historical figure which features less valuable pieces mounted in it and proved to be "too recognizable to keep," she added.

This might account for the reason it was abandoned as they got away, along with another piece, and found by authorities.

Empress Eugenie's tiara which was stolen, contains extremely rare authentic pearls which command enormous prices, authorities indicate.

While the items have been described as being priceless, the expert anticipates they to be sold for a small percentage of their value.

"They're destined to individuals who is willing to take possession," she stated. "Everyone will be looking for these items – they will take what they can get."

The precise value might they bring financially upon being marketed? Regarding the possible worth of the haul, the detective said the cut-up parts may amount to "multiple millions."

The precious stones and removed precious metal could fetch up to ten million pounds (millions in euros; millions in US currency), stated by an industry expert, senior official of 77 Diamonds, a digital jewelry retailer.

He told the BBC the thieves must have a skilled expert to separate the jewels, and a skilled stone worker to alter the more noticeable pieces.

Smaller stones that were harder to trace could be sold right away and while it was hard to determine the specific worth of every gem removed, the bigger stones could be worth around £500,000 each, he said.

"Reports indicate a minimum of four of that size, so adding all of those along with the gold, it's likely approaching ten million," he said.

"The jewelry and luxury goods trade is liquid and numerous purchasers exist within gray markets that don't ask regarding sources."

Some optimism remains that the items could reappear intact one day – although such expectations are fading with each passing day.

Similar cases have occurred – the Cartier exhibition at the V&A Museum displays an artifact previously stolen before reappearing in an auction several decades later.

Without doubt is many in France are extremely upset by the Louvre heist, demonstrating an emotional attachment to the jewels.

"French people don't always like jewellery since it represents a question of privilege, and which doesn't always carry positive associations within French culture," Alexandre Leger, director of historical collections at Parisian jewelry house the prestigious firm, stated