Thieves steal jewels from Ritz hotel in Paris

Five robbers used axes to smash the windows of shops in the glitzy Ritz hotel in Paris, making off with several million euros worth of jewelry in loot.

Three suspects were arrested as they fled the scene of the brazen Wednesday evening robbery at the famous luxury hotel located near the Place Vendome in the center of Paris, according to unnamed police officials.

French TV station BFM reported some €4.7 million ($5.64 million) worth of jewels and other merchandise had been stolen.

It was unclear whether any of the loot had been retrieved by police.

Paris has been the scene of several high-profile jewelry robberies and heists, including in October 2016 when US celebrity Kim Kardashian West was robbed at gunpoint.

cw/se (AFP, AP, dpa)