A daring heist unfolded in the fashionable heart of Paris as two men dressed in suits and a woman in an elegant dress targeted a renowned jewelry store, making off with a haul estimated to be worth millions of euros, according to reports.
The audacious trio, armed with a silenced handgun, struck the Piaget boutique located on the chic Rue de la Paix during the lunch hour, in close proximity to the Opera, situated in the city’s second district.
Eyewitnesses reported that the suspects entered the store, swiftly immobilizing the staff by forcing them to the ground, as per a police source cited by Le Parisien website.
The assailants subsequently fled on foot, evading immediate capture.
Initial assessments by prosecutors indicate that the value of the stolen luxury jewelry is estimated to range between €10 million and €15 million (£8.5 million – £13 million). Thankfully, no injuries were reported in the aftermath of the incident.
The investigation into this high-profile robbery has been taken over by France’s specialized BRB police unit, which focuses on combatting armed robberies and burglaries. This case is part of a series of ongoing inquiries targeting organized criminal groups involved in various crimes, including hostage-taking.
Merely three months ago, a similar upscale jewelry store became the target of a robbery just 100 meters away from the recent incident. The Bulgari boutique situated on Place Vendôme experienced an assault on a Saturday afternoon, again transpiring in broad daylight. In that instance, three armed robbers fled the scene on two motorbikes.
Both Rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme are renowned for hosting luxury jewelers. Contrasting the earlier Bulgari incident, the perpetrators involved in the Piaget robbery were notably well-dressed.
As detailed in French media accounts, the culprits were described as two men donning gray suits, accompanied by a woman wearing a green dress and black trousers.
Sandrine Marcot, representing France’s jewelry and watches union, expressed concern over the escalating number of such robberies, stating, “While it’s true that the occurrence of such incidents has notably diminished over the years, the post-Covid period has witnessed a resurgence in the frequency of robberies and burglaries.”
This incident follows closely on the heels of a recent attack on Italian football star Gianluigi Donnarumma and his partner in their Paris residence. The assailants, who made off with a cache of jewelry, watches, and other luxury items, tied up the couple during the robbery.
