Thieves in drag help themselves to €80m in jewels

ARMED robbers — some dressed in drag — made off with €80 million in loot from a lightning-fast jewellery store theft in central Paris, in what police yesterday called one of France’s costliest jewel heists.

Three or four thieves swiped rings, necklaces and luxury watches from display cases at the Harry Winston store near the Champs-Elysees, a police official said. They brandished handguns and threatened about 15 employees, hitting some on the head with guns, the official said.

At least two of the bandits were men wearing wigs and dressed as women, at times spoke a foreign language, and knew employees’ names, the official said.