Jewel Thieves Strike In Cannes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Jul 15th 2009 at 2:08AM

The Cartier store in Cannes, France has been the latest victim of the "Pink Panthers" gang. A group of armed robbers in Hawaiian shirts converged on the store in the French Riviera on Monday. The ringleader pulled out a handgun and directed everyone to lie on the floor. His accomplices made quick work of the jewels, watches and other luxury goods in the store and then the entire team took off on motorbikes.

The Pink Panthers earned their nickname in 1993 by stealing a huge diamond from jewelers in London's Mayfair area and hiding it in a jar of face cream similar to the method used in the original Peter Sellers movie. It is believed that members of the gang are former soldiers from eastern Europe. They are known for their feats of daring which are almost cinematic in nature. In 2005 they struck at a jeweler in Saint Tropez and made their getaway by boat. The gang is thought to be a loose network of maybe 200 or so people which has made attempts at capture difficult for law enforcement.

Tags: cartier, jewel theft, jewelry thieves, JewelryThieves, JewelTheft