It sounds like a story worthy of a Hollywood heist movie.
The two diamond traders from India had been in the 10th arrondissement of Paris to sell the case of precious stones worth an estimated €300,000.
However when the deal did not go ahead they decided to make their way back to their hotel on the Metro along with the stones, according to French press reports.
But the thieves had other plans.
When the traders got to the turnstiles at Cadet Metro station in the 9th arrondissement of the French capital which is home to many diamond dealers, the two Indian nationals were attacked with tear gas by the two men.
After a quick scramble, one of the attackers managed to seize the briefcase and its precious contents, before fleeing the scene with his accomplice, according to French press reports.
After the incident which took place on Monday February 26th at around 4pm the dealers filed a complaint.
According to reports, “The thieves were perfectly informed about the route of the two diamond dealers and had prepared their hit perfectly.”
“The two traders were coming back from a business meeting and were attacked Monday afternoon by two men,” a source told AFP, confirming a report by French magazine Le Point.
“A bag containing several precious stones — but no diamonds — was stolen,” the source added. “Early indications are that it could have been a
premeditated attack.”
premeditated attack.”
The French capital has seen a number of high-profile jewel robberies in the past few years, most recently an audacious heist at the Ritz hotel in January.
A gang armed with hatchets and handguns burst into the five-star hotel and smashed the windows of jewellery shops on the ground floor, but became trapped by locked doors as they tried to flee.
Three men have been charged over the robbery.
In October 2016, US reality TV star Kim Kardashian was tied up and robbed at gunpoint while staying in a luxury residence for Paris Fashion Week.
The thieves made off with jewellery worth at least nine million euros, including a ring worth four million dollars alone.
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