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Leviev £88m jewellery heist is 'the biggest ever'

July 29, 2013 13:31
Carlton Hotel

By

Josh Jackman,

Josh Jackman

1 min read

Around £88 million worth of diamonds and jewels owned by an Israeli billionaire has been stolen from a Cannes exhibition in the most expensive heist in history.

The masked gunman held up the Intercontinental Carlton Hotel in broad daylight on Sunday while he filled a briefcase with items belonging to Russian-born Lev Leviev.

Mr Leviev’s company, Leviev, had allowed its precious merchandise to be used in a temporary exhibition in the French Riviera resort.

Philippe Vique, a deputy prosecutor in nearby Grasse, supplied the figure for the stolen goods, which is more than twice the initial estimate and comes after a thorough inventory check.