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http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20081205/twl-robbers-in-drag-steal-luxury-gems-3fd0ae9.html
Robbers In Drag Steal Luxury Gems
11 mins ago
SkyNews Sky News
* Print Story
Armed robbers dressed in drag have stolen jewellery worth tens of millions of pounds from a luxury shop in Paris. Skip related content
Related photos / videos
Robbers In Drag Steal Luxury Gems
Three thieves took rings, necklaces and watches from the Harry Winston store near the Champs-Elysees, a police official said.
The men entered the shop last night and forced staff to hand over almost all the jewels on display before making their getaway.
At least two of them were men dressed as women and wearing wigs, the police official added.
They brandished handguns and threatened about 15 employees, hitting some on the head with guns.
The value of the stolen jewels has been estimated at between £40m and £53m, but police said it was too early to give an exact figure.
Investigators believe the robbers were very well informed about their target.
"Apparently they knew the names of some of the staff," the official said.
New York-based Harry Winston said in a statement: "We are co-operating with the authorities in their investigation. Our first concern is the well-being of our employees."
The robbery came just over a year after another raid on the same store.
In October 2007, masked robbers forced staff to empty the store's safes and took at least £11m worth of gems.
The Harry Winston chain has sold jewellery to royalty around the world and lends some of its finest pieces to celebrities for events including the Oscars.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20081205/tts-france-crime-luxury-diamonds-509a08e.html
Diamond thieves pull off $100 mln Paris heist
AFP
AFP - 1 hour 30 minutes ago
PARIS (AFP) - - Armed robbers pulled off one of the world's biggest jewellery heists at a famed Paris store, making off with diamonds and valuables worth 80 million euros (102 million dollars), investigators said Friday.
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The four robbers on Thursday stole nearly all the jewellery on display at Harry Winston jewellers on the Avenue Montaigne, which attracts a wealthy international clientele just off the Champs-Elysees.
The heist was well-planned, a source from the investigating team told AFP. The men knew the names of some of the shop's employees and the location of some hidden storage cases for jewels.
Two of the four men were disguised as women when they managed to elude the high-security surveillance system and burst into the boutique at 5:30 pm (1630 GMT) on Thursday during the busy holiday shopping season.
Brandishing weapons, they threatened some of the dozen employees and customers and herded them into a corner, while some of the personnel suffered blows, according to investigators.
The loot initially estimated at up 62 million euros was revised early Friday to 80 million euros, making it by far the biggest jewellery heist ever in France.
Police said they were dealing with "major pros" who had meticulously planned their crime and knew the boutique's lay-out well, suggesting it may have been an inside job.
The thieves, who apparently were French-speaking, stuffed brooches, rings, necklaces and other finery in bags and quickly left, without firing a shot.
No leads were ruled out including the possibility that the robbers may have connections in eastern Europe, where the loot could be sold, contrary to western Europe where such high-value stolen goods would be quickly detected.
Police described the eastern European market as a "new El Ddorado for traffickers" trying to get rid of high-end stolen goods.
Police on Friday were questioning customers, employees and pedestrians to try to come up with clues.
Harry Winston, which specializes in ultra-luxury jewellery, was hit by another heist in October last year when armed robbers stole an estimated 10 million euros worth of valuables.
An insurance company offered a 500,000-dollar reward for information leading to the thieves' arrest but they were never found.
The US jewellery chain has stores across the world and has sold precious stones to royal families and lent them to film stars for events such as the Cannes film festival or the Oscars in Hollywood.
Belgium holds the record for the world's biggest jewellery heist when diamonds worth 100 million euros or more were stolen on February 14, 2003 in Antwerp.
A 1.8-million euro necklace was stolen in June 2001 from the Alexandre Reza shop in Cannes on the French Riviera, followed a month later by a 3.8-million-euro heist at a Van Cleef and Arpels shop in the same city.
Among other notable heists, three Paris shops were targeted in October 2001 by a conman posing as a rich Kuwaiti emir who managed to make off with 2.2 million euros in jewels.
Robbers In Drag Steal Luxury Gems
11 mins ago
SkyNews Sky News
* Print Story
Armed robbers dressed in drag have stolen jewellery worth tens of millions of pounds from a luxury shop in Paris. Skip related content
Related photos / videos
Robbers In Drag Steal Luxury Gems
Three thieves took rings, necklaces and watches from the Harry Winston store near the Champs-Elysees, a police official said.
The men entered the shop last night and forced staff to hand over almost all the jewels on display before making their getaway.
At least two of them were men dressed as women and wearing wigs, the police official added.
They brandished handguns and threatened about 15 employees, hitting some on the head with guns.
The value of the stolen jewels has been estimated at between £40m and £53m, but police said it was too early to give an exact figure.
Investigators believe the robbers were very well informed about their target.
"Apparently they knew the names of some of the staff," the official said.
New York-based Harry Winston said in a statement: "We are co-operating with the authorities in their investigation. Our first concern is the well-being of our employees."
The robbery came just over a year after another raid on the same store.
In October 2007, masked robbers forced staff to empty the store's safes and took at least £11m worth of gems.
The Harry Winston chain has sold jewellery to royalty around the world and lends some of its finest pieces to celebrities for events including the Oscars.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20081205/tts-france-crime-luxury-diamonds-509a08e.html
Diamond thieves pull off $100 mln Paris heist
AFP
AFP - 1 hour 30 minutes ago
PARIS (AFP) - - Armed robbers pulled off one of the world's biggest jewellery heists at a famed Paris store, making off with diamonds and valuables worth 80 million euros (102 million dollars), investigators said Friday.
ADVERTISEMENT
The four robbers on Thursday stole nearly all the jewellery on display at Harry Winston jewellers on the Avenue Montaigne, which attracts a wealthy international clientele just off the Champs-Elysees.
The heist was well-planned, a source from the investigating team told AFP. The men knew the names of some of the shop's employees and the location of some hidden storage cases for jewels.
Two of the four men were disguised as women when they managed to elude the high-security surveillance system and burst into the boutique at 5:30 pm (1630 GMT) on Thursday during the busy holiday shopping season.
Brandishing weapons, they threatened some of the dozen employees and customers and herded them into a corner, while some of the personnel suffered blows, according to investigators.
The loot initially estimated at up 62 million euros was revised early Friday to 80 million euros, making it by far the biggest jewellery heist ever in France.
Police said they were dealing with "major pros" who had meticulously planned their crime and knew the boutique's lay-out well, suggesting it may have been an inside job.
The thieves, who apparently were French-speaking, stuffed brooches, rings, necklaces and other finery in bags and quickly left, without firing a shot.
No leads were ruled out including the possibility that the robbers may have connections in eastern Europe, where the loot could be sold, contrary to western Europe where such high-value stolen goods would be quickly detected.
Police described the eastern European market as a "new El Ddorado for traffickers" trying to get rid of high-end stolen goods.
Police on Friday were questioning customers, employees and pedestrians to try to come up with clues.
Harry Winston, which specializes in ultra-luxury jewellery, was hit by another heist in October last year when armed robbers stole an estimated 10 million euros worth of valuables.
An insurance company offered a 500,000-dollar reward for information leading to the thieves' arrest but they were never found.
The US jewellery chain has stores across the world and has sold precious stones to royal families and lent them to film stars for events such as the Cannes film festival or the Oscars in Hollywood.
Belgium holds the record for the world's biggest jewellery heist when diamonds worth 100 million euros or more were stolen on February 14, 2003 in Antwerp.
A 1.8-million euro necklace was stolen in June 2001 from the Alexandre Reza shop in Cannes on the French Riviera, followed a month later by a 3.8-million-euro heist at a Van Cleef and Arpels shop in the same city.
Among other notable heists, three Paris shops were targeted in October 2001 by a conman posing as a rich Kuwaiti emir who managed to make off with 2.2 million euros in jewels.
