Paris police caught three suspected armed robbers after opening fire on their car as they escaped a € 10 million ($ 12 million) jewel theft at a Bulgari store in the French capital on Tuesday.
Three individuals, dressed in pointed suits and armed with firearms, robbed the recently renovated boutique on Place Vendome in central Paris, where the Ritz Hotel is located just before noon, police said.
The three fled in a car while four accomplices flew in scooters. Police fired on the car near Les Halles shopping center, less than 2 kilometers away, forcing the trio to try to flee on foot.
The three were arrested after abandoning some of their booty, a local agent said, while a hunt was underway for the four who came out on scooters.
Bulgari, owned by Bernard Arnault’s LVMH, said no one was injured during the robbery.
Parisian jewelry stores, including a Chaumet store near the Champs Elysees, have suffered a series of armed robberies in recent months. Credit: THOMAS COEX / AFP / Getty Images
Paris jewelers have suffered a wave of armed robberies in recent months. Crime and security are likely to be high on voters ’main concerns in the 2022 presidential election.
“It’s not the first time Place Vendome has been targeted,” the agent, who identified himself as Noura B, told reporters. , taking that kind of risk … is something that rarely happens. “
In July, the thieves left a jewelry store worth nearly 2 million euros ($ 2.4 million) from a Chaumet store near the Champs Elysées, although the stolen goods were later recovered and the suspects were arrested.
The same month, thieves also attacked a Dinh Van jewelry store in central Paris.
The Bulgari store has recently undergone major renovations, was expanded to open on Place Vendome and was equipped with marble columns that evoked its origins in Rome.
The historic Place Vendome is considered the heart of French luxury. Labels such as Chanel, Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels have invested heavily in prestigious flagship ships that line the plaza.