Stylish, armed robbers storm luxury watch shop, steal over $16 million in Paris heist

An armed gang who dressed in stylish cloths allegedly robbed a luxury store in the French capital city, on Tuesday (August 1) and stole millions of dollars worth of goods in broad daylight, said police and prosecutors, according to AFP. The store in question was of the luxury jewellery and watch brand Piaget located in central Paris.

What do we know so far?

According to initial reports, the incident took place at 1:00 pm (local time) and the robbery involved at least three people, and one of them was said to be armed. The alleged criminals took off with their bounty which is reportedly estimated at between $11 million and $16.5 million.

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The report by AFP, citing a police source, said no one was hurt. According to reports, the supposedly armed gang allegedly kept the staff members at gunpoint throughout the ordeal.

The heist was carried out by “two men in suits and a woman in a dress”, according to a report by the British newspaper, Daily Express.

Terrified customers were forced to the ground while the gang ordered staff to direct them to the store’s most expensive displays, where they grabbed as many goods as they could before escaping on motorbikes, reported The Daily Mail, citing sources.

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The store is located in the heart of the French capital, Rue de la Paix, which is also home to several other high-end jewellery brands.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said that they have launched an investigation into the incident on the charges of “armed robbery by an organising gang” and “kidnapping”. Images from the site show the store, which is also near the famous Place Vendome, surrounded by the police.

Piaget, founded in Switzerland, makes luxury watches and high-end jewellery, the prices of which can be as much as tens of thousands of dollars.

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Previous incidents

This is not the first high-profile heist to have occurred in the Paris neighbourhood as just earlier this year, in April, three people on motorbikes robbed the nearby Bulgari outlet and stole several millions of dollars worth of jewellery.

(With inputs from agencies)

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