49-carat diamond among stolen jewels from Green Vault museum in Germany

A German state museum has confirmed on November 26 that a 49-carat diamond worth up to $12 million was among dozen jewel-encrusted items that were stolen during a robbery. The Green Vault museum at Dresden’s royal palace released a list of pieces robbed in a heist on Monday which included a sword whose hilt is encrusted with nine large and 770 smaller diamonds, and a shoulder piece which contains the famous 49-carat Dresden white diamond. As per the list, eleven pieces were removed completely, while individual parts of a further three items were also missing. Amongst the stolen items, Dresden white is one of the most precious jewels in the collection of former Saxon ruler August the Strong.

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The stolen diamond could be worth up to $10 or $12 million said Tobias Kormind, managing director of the diamond retailer 77 Diamonds to a news agency.

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Four thieves spotted on CCTV

Dresden white dates back to the 18th century and was obtained at a whopping price by August the Strong, then Elector of Saxony, in 1728. The Museum authorities spotted one of the suspects using an axe to break into the display case containing three diamond jewelry collections in their CCTV footage on Monday. As per reports, the theft occurred in early hours the same day after the thieves managed to instill a partial power cut and broke through a window protected by iron bars. They were seen heading straight towards the jewels in the display cabinet which was a “targeted and premeditated crime” as per Police statement. 

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It appears in the footage, that there were four thieves. The investigative commission said this week that they had received 205 tip-offs from the public by Wednesday afternoon. A criminal gang is suspected to be behind the crime said Dresden Police chief Joerg Kubiessa. The Police also suspect that the robbery is linked to a similar heist in Berlin about two years ago. A 100-kilogram (220-pound), 24-karat giant gold coin was stolen from Berlin’s Bode Museum in 2017 which was plotted by four notorious thieves from a Berlin gang who were later put on trial. Until now the coin has not been recovered which increases fears for the loss of Dresden's treasures.

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