PARIS, France -
Armed robbers who used a motorbike as a battering ram made off with 鈥渟everal million euros'鈥 (dollars') worth of valuables in a heist of the luxury Paris boutique of self-declared 鈥淛eweler to the Stars" Harry Winston, the French prosecutor鈥檚 office overseeing the police probe said.
Having refused Saturday to confirm that Harry Winston was the target, the Paris prosecutor's office did so on Sunday, saying the dazzling, by-appointment store on the tony Avenue Montaigne was robbed by a gang of at least three people.
They 鈥渇orced entry to the jewelry store using a two-wheeler. They stole jewelry from several windows, while one of them kept watch,鈥 carrying a long-barreled firearm, the prosecutor鈥檚 office said.
As they sped away, they pointed the firearm 鈥渋n the direction of police officers, who had to put an end to their pursuit,鈥 it said.
鈥淭he damage, currently being assessed, is several million euros,鈥 it said.
Harry Winston didn鈥檛 reply to emailed questions from The Associated Press. This is not the first time the luxury store has been robbed. Eight people were convicted in 2015 in connection with a spectacular 2008 holdup in which three cross-dressing gunmen stole about $92 million in loot.