Image copyright Alamy Image caption The stolen jewels belonged to the Swedish monarchs who lived in the early 1600s

Police in Sweden have launched a manhunt after thieves swiped some of the country's crown jewels from a cathedral and escaped by speedboat.

Two priceless crowns and an orb belonging to a 17th Century king and queen were taken at around midday on Tuesday in Strängnäs, near Stockholm.

Witnesses said they saw two men running from the cathedral, which was open to the public and hosting a lunch fair.

They were seen motoring off into Lake Malaren, and have not been seen since.

Police have launched a huge search operation, but currently have no suspects.

"It's 1-0 to them right now," police spokesperson Thomas Agnevik told Swedish media. "It is not possible to put an economic value on this, it is invaluable items of national interest."

The royal jewels are adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls, and come from the 1611 funeral regalia of Sweden's Charles IX and Kristina the Elder.

A witness, who is getting married in the Strängnäs Cathedral next week, told local news channel Aftonbladet he contacted the police.

"I knew immediately they were burglars because of the way they were behaving," Tom Rowell said. "It's despicable that people would steal from a holy building and a historical building."

Mr Agnevik said that the crown jewels would have been kept in locked and alarmed glass displays that the thieves would have had to break into.

No one was hurt during the burglary but church staff were shaken, local media reported.

Timeline: More major jewel heists

February 2003 - Robbers steal jewels, then worth €100m (now $117m; £89m), from the Antwerp Diamond Centre in Belgium

February 2005 - An armed gang disguised as airport workers hijack a lorry carrying €75m ($88m; £67m) of diamonds and other jewels at Amsterdam airport

December 2008 - A group of men steal over €85m ($99m; £76m) of watches and jewels in two Paris heists - one in 2007 and the other a year later

August 2009 - Armed men take jewellery worth £40m ($61m; €45m) in a raid on the Graff Diamonds shop in central London

July 2013 - An armed man takes jewels worth about €40m ($47m; £36m) from a hotel jewellery exhibition in the French Riviera resort of Cannes

April 2015 - A group of men - mostly in their 60s and 70s - drill into a safety deposit vault in London's Hatton Garden, taking £13.7m ($18m;€15.4m) in gold, cash and gems</s>The heist was sudden and unexpected: around lunchtime on Tuesday, two men leapt into a motorboat moored next to the cathedral in Strängnäs, a small city to the west of Stockholm, Sweden. They had with them two historic crowns and a gold-adorned orb, which they had just stolen from the cathedral. And then they vanished onto Lake Mälären.

The crowns are those of Charles IX, a Swedish king from the early 17th century, and his second wife, Christina. Both crowns are made of gold, and Charles’s—a funerary crown—iss encrusted with crystals and pearls.

According to local media, the crowns, along with an orb and cross, were taken from a locked and alarmed display cabinet at Strängnäs Cathedral.

A witness names Tom Rowell told he saw two men flee the building and take off in their motorboat. “I knew immediately they were burglars because of the way they were behaving,” he said. “It’s despicable that people would steal from a holy building and a historical building.”

Thomas Agnevik, a police spokesman, told the paper it was “1-0 to the thieves,” as the cops had no luck finding them. The thieves must have broken the glass in the case, he said.

Agnevik said it was too early to say whether the thieves were professionals or not, and it was difficult to put a price on the stolen items—they are unique but “have of course no value unless they are sold.”

This isn’t the first theft of its kind. In 2013, a bronze crown and scepter from the late 16th-century funeral of King Johan III were stolen, along with a gilded apple, from a cathedral in Västerås. The items were later found in trash bags lying by the side of a motorway.</s>A raid on the local church saw burglars steal two crowns and an orb dating back to the early 1600s and escape by speedboat.

The Strangas Cathedral, which is open to the public, displayed the precious jewels locked glass boxes. It didn't appear to be an obstacle for two thieves who still remain at large.

An eyewitness Tom Rowsell described the speedboat the assailants used to escape as "white" and told the police "he knew immediately they were burglars because of the way they were behaving."

"I think it's awful, it's despicable that people would steal from a holy building and take something of historic and monetary value. I hope the police succeed in finding them," Mr. Rowsell said.

The search for the criminals has been unsuccessful so far and the police spokesman Thomas Agnevik said in an interview:

"It's 1-0 to them right now. We want to spread information and pictures of these items so that they can be identified as stolen objects."

The stolen crowns and orb come from the funeral regalia of Charles IX of Sweden and Christina, Queen of Sweden.</s>STOCKHOLM: Thieves have stolen two crowns and an orb from the Swedish royal family´s collection, making off in a motorboat after the heist. The priceless artefacts were snatched from a cathedral in Strangnas, about an hour west of the capital Stockholm, at lunchtime on Tuesday, police said. The robbers broke into a glass case that held the funeral regalia of King Karl IX and his wife Queen Kristina and swiped the two crowns and an orb from the 17th century. The robbers then made their getaway in a motorboat that was waiting just a couple of hundred meters away on lake Malaren, Sweden´s third biggest lake, police said.</s>Two unknown criminals stole 17th-century royal crowns from a cathedral in Strängnäs, one hour from Stockholm, where they were kept in a locked and alarmed display case. The suspects were seen fleeing from the scene on women's bicycles and then a motorboat on Tuesday.

Police searched the area, both by water and air, and worked through the night on Tuesday but so far the jewels have not been recovered.

"Nothing has changed since yesterday," police spokesperson Stefan Dangardt told The Local on Thursday afternoon, one day after the theft was registered with Interpol in an effort to make the stolen goods impossible to sell.

"There are some media reports that we have found the stolen goods but I cannot confirm that," Dangardt added. "We are continuing to work with the information that we have, and continuing the investigation."

Several Swedish media reported that police have carried out house searches in an area north of Stockholm, but Dangardt could not confirm this. He said no arrests had been made and no evidence had been found.

However, he said forensics experts had made progress in their investigation of the crime scene, which was closed off on Wednesday. Dangdardt told The Local that the forensic team had found "traces" both in and outside the church, but said it was too early to say what kind of evidence these might be, or what exactly the traces were.

The revelation follows an earlier report from Swedish daily Aftonbladet, which said it had received information that police had found traces of blood in the cathedral.

The crowns were made for the burial of Kind Charles IX and his wife Christina, and date back to the early 1600s. A royal orb was stolen along with them, and the gold jewels are decorated with silver and pearls.

It's not the first royal heist in the area around Lake Mälaren. In 2013, a crown and sceptre used in the funeral of Sweden's King Johan III were stolen from nearby Västerås. They subsequently turned up in two large rubbish bags at the side of a highway following a tip-off to police.</s>Police say thieves have stolen priceless treasures from the Swedish royal regalia, including a jeweled crown, from a cathedral where they were on display, before speeding off by motorboat.

They say in a statement that two people allegedly stole two crowns and an orb used by King Karl IX and Queen Kristina, which had previously been stored in their tomb. It is believed the thieves then fled via the vast system of lakes west of Stockholm.

Police have been searching for the culprits with a helicopter and boats, but no arrests have been made.

Maria Ellior of the Swedish police's National Operations Department told Sweden's TT news agency Wednesday the items are "impossible to sell."

Tuesday's theft took place at the Strangnas Cathedral west of the capital.</s>COPENHAGEN, Denmark (CBSNewYork/AP) — In a daring heist right out of the pages of a Hollywood blockbuster, brazen bandits made off with Sweden’s crown jewels from a medieval cathedral nearly 40 miles west of Stockholm.

Police in Europe say the pair of men grabbed the two gold crowns and an orb in broad daylight. The thieves then jumped onto bicycles, eventually making their getaway on a speedboat.

The stolen artifacts included a gold crown and an orb dating to 1611 that were made for King Karl IX’s funeral, as well as a jewel-encrusted crown dating to 1625 that was used in Queen Kristina’s funeral. The stolen items were on display at an exhibition in the cathedral, and visitors were inside at the time.

“The alarm went off when the burglars smashed the security glass and stole the artifacts,” Catharina Frojd, a spokeswoman for the 14th-century Strangnas cathedral, told The Associated Press.

The cathedral said on its website that the stolen pieces were kept “in accordance with the prevailing safety regulations in locked and alarmed displays in the cathedral.” It gave no further details.

Police sent out a helicopter and boat to hunt for the thieves but found nothing. Authorities said no one was hurt in the robbery but didn’t provide further details.

Tom Rowell, a visitor who was eating lunch outside, said he saw two men running from the cathedral toward a small nearby jetty where a motorboat was moored.

“The two men hurriedly jumped on board and it sped off,” Rowell said, adding that they “appeared non-Nordic.” He didn’t elaborate.

However, police spokesman Stefan Dangardt said “witnesses’ testimonies varied quite a bit” and it was also possible the thieves escaped on jet skis.

The men used two stolen black bicycles equipped with baskets and a child’s seat to race to the lake, Dangardt added.

On Wednesday, divers were looking for clues in and along the shores of Lake Malaren, Sweden’s third-largest freshwater lake. Police said the thieves could have fled further on jet skis.

While the stolen artifacts are of great historic and cultural value, police expressed skepticism about whether the burglary would bring the perpetrators financial gain.

The stolen pieces are “impossible to sell” because of their uniqueness and high visibility, Maria Ellior of the Swedish police’s National Operations Department told the Swedish news agency TT.

The theft would be logged at Interpol, enabling an international search, the agency.

Strangnas, a small, quiet town with a population of about 13,000, is popular with Stockholm commuters and tourists, who come to see the cathedral and a street that has been called the prettiest in Sweden.

The Gothic-style cathedral, built between 1291 and 1340, is in the heart of the town. The cathedral’s red-brick tower with a black top can be seen for miles (kilometers) around.

The cathedral was closed Wednesday, and a grassy area by the jetty was cordoned off as police inspected the ground for clues. Police also questioned witnesses who were inside the church at the time of the theft and people outside who saw the suspects get away.

The stolen artifacts are funeral regalia, which are placed inside or on top of a coffin to symbolize a deceased royal’s identity and social ranking.

While some funeral regalia are kept in the cathedrals of Strangnas, Uppsala and Vasteras, Sweden’s crown jewels are in vaults of the treasury under the Royal Castle in Stockholm.

In 2013, 16th-century copies of King Johan III’s crown, orb and scepter were stolen from the cathedral in the central Swedish city of Vasteras, 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of the capital Stockholm, during a nighttime burglary. They were eventually found and returned to the cathedral. No one was arrested.

Rowell, the witness, is getting married at the cathedral next weekend.

“It’s despicable that people would steal from a holy building,” he said.</s>COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Thieves in Sweden walked into a small town's medieval cathedral in broad daylight and made off with priceless crown jewels dating back to the early 1600s before escaping by speedboat, police said Wednesday.

Two men vanished after the heist into a vast patchwork of lakes around Strangnas, 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of the capital Stockholm around noon Tuesday, police said.

The thieves snatched two gold crowns and an orb made for King Karl IX and Queen Kristina in the daring robbery. One of the crowns is encrusted with precious stones. The stolen items were on display at an exhibition in the cathedral, and visitors were inside at the time.

"The alarm went off when the burglars smashed the security glass and stole the artifacts," Catharina Frojd, a spokeswoman for the 14th-century Strangnas cathedral, told The Associated Press.

The church wrote on its website that the stolen items were kept "in accordance with the prevailing safety regulations in locked and alarmed displays in the cathedral." It gave no further details.

Police sent out a helicopter and boat to hunt for the thieves but found nothing. Authorities said nobody was hurt in the robbery, but didn't provide further details.

Tom Rowell, a visitor who was eating lunch outside, said he saw two men running from the cathedral toward a small nearby jetty where a motorboat was moored.

"The two men hurriedly jumped on board and it sped off," Rowell said, adding that they "appeared non-Nordic." He didn't explain further.

While the items are of great historic and cultural value, police expressed doubt whether the burglary would bring the perpetrators financial gain.

The stolen items are "impossible to sell" because of their uniqueness and high visibility, Maria Ellior of the Swedish police's National Operations Department told Swedish news agency TT.

The theft would be logged at Interpol, enabling an international search, TT said.

Strangnas is a small, quiet town with a population of about 13,000. It is popular with Stockholm commuters and with tourists, who come to see the cathedral and a street that has been called the prettiest in Sweden.

The Gothic-style cathedral, built between 1291 and 1340, is in the heart of the town. The cathedral's red-brick tower with a black top can be seen from kilometers (miles) around.

The cathedral was closed Wednesday, and a grassy area by the jetty was cordoned off as police inspected the ground for clues. Police also questioned witnesses who were inside the church at the time of the theft and people outside who saw the suspects get away.

Rowell, the eyewitness, is getting married at the cathedral next weekend. "It's despicable that people would steal from a holy building," he said.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Jewel thieves are on the run from police in Sweden, after stealing some of Sweden’s royal jewels from a cathedral, before fleeing in a motorboat.

The theft occurred at about noon on Tuesday in Strängnäs, west of Stockholm, while the church was open to visitors, and a lunch fair was being held nearby.

Local news channel Aftonbladet reported the thieves stole two crowns and an orb, adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls that come from the funeral regalia of Charles IX and Kristina the Elder, dating back to the early 1600s.

Witness Tom Rowell who is getting married in the cathedral next week, told Aftonbladet he saw two men run from the building, jump into a small white motorboat and speed away.

“We contacted the police and told them and they told us that something had been taken from the cathedral,” he said. “I knew immediately they were burglars because of the way they were behaving.”

“It’s despicable that people would steal from a holy building and a historical building,” said Rowell.

Police have mobilised a huge search operation to find the men and recover the items but have so far been unsuccessful. “It’s 1-0 to them right now,” Thomas Agnevik, a police spokesman, told Aftonbladet.

Police and cathedral officials said they did not know the value of the objects that were stolen. “It’s too difficult to translate these things into some kind of value. It’s such a unique object,” said Agnevik.

Catharina Fröjd, who works at Strängnäs cathedral, called the theft “an enormous loss in cultural value and economic value”.</s>The two crowns – worn by King Charles IX and his wife Queen Christina – as well as an orb and cross were stolen from a display cabinet in Strängnäs Cathedral on Tuesday. The thieves escaped on a boat moored in the nearby lake Mälaren and have not yet been traced.

Officers worked throughout the night but it “did not result in any significant breakthroughs in the form of suspects or detentions,” police explained on Wednesday morning, appealing to the public for any information they may have.

The theft will now be registered in Interpol’s system in an effort to make the objects impossible to sell.

“Images are being shown in the media. It's simply not possible to sell these kind of items. So you can only wonder what their intentions are, and how much they know about these crowns," Maria Ellior from the Swedish Police National Operations Department (Noa) told news agency TT.

Registering the theft with Interpol means "even international police will be on their toes," she added, noting that the theft was likely well planned.

Charles IX's crown is made of gold and decorated with jewels, silver and pearls, while the queen’s is also made of gold.

The theft took place while the cathedral was open for visitors, and the robbers had already fled in their boat by the time police arrived at the scene, Aftonbladet reports. If caught they face up to six years in prison.

In 2013, a crown and sceptre used in the funeral of Sweden’s King Johan III were stolen from Västerås. They subsequently turned up in two large rubbish bags at the side of a highway following a tip-off to police.
An orb and two crowns, part of the Regalia of Sweden, are stolen from Strängnäs Cathedral.