A group of thieves attacked the Bulgari store in Place Vendôme Paris A source told AFP that on Tuesday, after leading the police in a high-speed hunt and arresting two suspects, he took away about 10 million euros (8.6 million pounds) of jewellery.
Police said that shortly before noon, three men in sharp suits and armed with guns robbed the recently renovated boutique on Place Vendôme in central Paris, where the Ritz Hotel is located.
The three fled in a gray BMW, while the four accomplices fled in a scooter. Police opened fire on the car near Les Halles shopping mall less than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away, forcing the three to try to escape on foot.
“After the robbery of the jewelry store in Place Vendôme, the Paris police responded quickly. Two suspects were detained,” the Paris police said on Twitter. The hunt for the remaining suspects is ongoing.
A source close to the investigation said that thieves stole 10 million euros worth of jewellery from Bulgari, a famous Italian jeweler owned by the French luxury goods group LVMH.
In recent months, jewellery shops in Paris have encountered a series of armed robberies. In the 2022 presidential election, crime and safety are likely to become the main concerns of voters.
July 27, A man stole Escape the Chaumet boutique with jewellery worth 2 million euros on an electric scooter. The next day, he and an accomplice were arrested and most of the items were recovered.
Three days later, two men armed with stun guns and tear gas aimed at a Dinh Van store and seized about 400,000 euros worth of trophies.
The Bulgari store has recently undergone extensive renovations, expanded to Place Vendôme and equipped with marble columns, reminiscent of the brand’s origins in Rome.
The historic Place Vendôme is regarded as the center of French luxury. Brands such as Chanel, Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels have invested heavily in the famous shops on both sides of the square.
