Thieves buy tickets before stealing necklace from Vienna museum

A 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace worth millions of dollars has been stolen from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.

Police say two men "smashed a glass display case" with a hammer before "fleeing with the jewellery".

Police say the two men bought entry tickets and were easily identified on security cameras because they didn't wear masks.

Two men bought tickets to enter Vienna's Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) before smashing a display case, grabbing a 200-carat platinum and diamond necklace and walking away, police say.

Austrian media said the Van Cleef and Arpels necklace, with 673 precious stones, was worth several million dollars.

It is the latest in a series of high-profile heists to hit European museums.

Police said the two men did not wear masks, legitimately paid to enter the museum, and were clearly seen on surveillance cameras in the heist.

They "smashed a glass display case" with a hammer before "fleeing with the jewellery in an unknown direction," said a police statement.

The MAK museum confirmed the theft but said it would not comment while the investigation went ahead.

The necklace had been part of an exhibition devoted to French designers Van Cleef and Arpels.

Some 500 pieces had been on display since June. The exhibition is scheduled to end on September 27.

Despite MAK announcing the exhibition would remain closed until further notice, the wing where the theft occurred reopened hours later.

The smashed display case was covered with a blue panel and there was no notice on it explaining the theft.

The stolen necklace was designed for the former Egyptian royal family and was worn by Queen Nazli in 1939 for the marriage of her daughter Faiza to the future shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.