"A handful of experts warn that the artifacts valued at more than $100 million (88 million euros) could soon - if not already - be melted or broken into parts. If done successfully, some say those smaller pieces could later go up for sale as part of a new necklace, earrings or other jewelry, without turning too many heads. "You don't even have to put them on a black market, you just put them in a jewelry store.""
"Thompson and others say that this has become increasingly common with stolen jeweled and metal goods, noting that it's a way thieves can try to cover their tracks and make money. It's not like someone could publicly wear one of France's Crown Jewels stolen on Sunday - and finding a market to sell the full artifacts would be incredibly difficult after "everyone and their sister" has seen photos of them over the last week, said Christopher Marinello, a lawyer and founder of Art Recovery International."
Stolen French royal jewels face a high risk of being melted or broken into parts to enable resale as ordinary necklaces, earrings or other jewelry. Breaking items into smaller components can mask origins and allow sales through regular jewelry stores, potentially even near the theft site. Dismantling removes historical value and yields only a fraction of the original price, while making items harder to trace if moved abroad and passed through cutters and extensive supply chains. Monetizing intact, high-profile artifacts is difficult after widespread publicity, so dismantling becomes a common tactic to hide theft and profit.
Read at SFGATE
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