(JTA) — 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 robbery on Sunday afternoon at a resort in Cannes, police estimated the value of the stolen jewels to be $53 million. A more complete inventory of the stolen jewelry, however, put the value at the higher number, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.
A masked gunman stole the diamonds and jewels from an exhibition at the Carlton Hotel. The thief threatened the exhibition staff and visitors, filled a briefcase with the jewels and fled in an operation that lasted about a minute, police told the AP.
Private security guards had protected the exhibit.
The French hotel’s display about the Leviev diamond house had been scheduled to run through August.
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