The theft of diamonds and jewels owned by Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev could be the largest jewelry heist in years after the worth of the stolen items was estimated at $136 million.
Immediately following the July 28 robbery at a resort in Cannes, police estimated the value of the stolen jewels as $53 million. A more complete inventory of the stolen jewelry, however, raised the value, the Associated Press later reported.
A masked gunman stole the diamonds and jewels from an exhibition at the Carlton Hotel. The operation lasted about a minute, police told the Associated Press.
The French hotel’s display about the Leviev diamond house had been scheduled to run through August. — jta