Thief steals 40m euro's worth of Jewels in Cannes

The prestigious Carlton Hotel in Cannes. 

An armed man has stolen jewels worth around 40m euros in the French resort of Cannes, officials say. They say the hold-up took place on Sunday morning at a jewelry exhibition at the Carlton Hotel, which is located on the Croisette promenade - one of the most prestigious locations in Cannes. The hotel is where film-maker Alfred Hitchcock filmed 'To Catch a Thief' - a 1955 film about a jewel thief operating in the French riviera. Local media say the robber made off with jewels, which were from an exhibition of diamonds in the hotels lobby, in a briefcase. A Cannes Police Spokesman said: "A full and urgent operation is under way to catch the culprit and recover these jewels", adding;"Thieves see Cannes as rich pickings". It is not the first time jewels have been stolen from the Carlton Hotel; in 1994, thieves burst into the hotels jewelry store - making off with jewels which would be worth $77million in today's money. And, earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival, there were two jewel thefts of jewels reportedly worth a collective $3.5 million.