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France - An armed man held up a jewellery exhibition in the French Riviera resort of Cannes on Sunday, making away with jewels estimated to be worth about €40m, according to investigators.
Authorities said the hold-up took place in broad daylight at the Carlton Hotel on the promenade in Cannes, famous for its annual film festival that attracts a glittering array of celebrities.
The lone gunman managed to evade security and escape with a briefcase containing the valuable jewellery.
The brazen heist was the biggest in recent years in France. In 2008, three men stole almost every piece on display at a jewellery exhibition in Paris with an estimated value of €85m.
The management at the Carlton Hotel declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
During the film festival in May, thieves stole jewellery worth $1.4m that was due to be loaned to movie stars from a local hotel in a pre-dawn heist.
That robbery took place in the hotel room of an American woman employee of Swiss jeweller Chopard while she was out for the evening, police said.
A strongbox containing jewels was ripped out of the wardrobe and carried off, they said.
In a second theft during the festival, robbers made off with a diamond necklace with an estimated value of $1.9m.
At least two apartments rented by film executives were also burgled during the festival, with thieves taking cash, jewellery and other personal items.
