A group of armed robbers raided a De Beers jewellery store in Paris in broad daylight earlier this week, making off with luxury goods reportedly worth around €1 million ($1.62 million).
According to The Associated Press, citing police reports, the robbery took place at around 11:15am on Thursday (12 November) at the company’s store on Rue de la Paix, near Place Vendôme.
The store, located in one of the French capital’s most prestigious shopping districts, opened in January this year.
A representative of the Alliance police union in Paris told reporters that four suspects arrived carrying assault-style rifles and stole the jewellery within minutes.
According to French radio station Europe 1, the stolen goods have an estimated value of approximately €1 million.
A De Beers spokesperson confirmed that there were “no serious injuries” during the incident.
“We are working with the authorities and the store will remain closed to allow relevant investigations to take place,” the spokesperson told AP.
The robbery follows another high-profile jewellery theft in Paris in October 2025, when thieves stole crown jewels valued at €88 million from the Louvre Museum.
De Beers sale in focus
The incident comes as De Beers’ parent company, Anglo American (LSE:AAL), continues efforts to sell the diamond business.
A consortium led by former De Beers CEO Gareth Penny has emerged as a potential buyer.
Bloomberg reported earlier this year that Anglo American was discussing a valuation of approximately US$1 billion ($1.47 billion) for its 85% stake in De Beers.
“It’s a process with Anglo American and we are trying to get things finalised as quickly as we can,” a representative from the consortium told Bloomberg earlier in the day.
Write to Jackson Chen at Mining.com.au
Main Image: De Beers
