Armed Robbery at De Beers on Rue de la Paix: What We Know

Four men armed with Kalashnikovs robbed the De Beers boutique on Rue de la Paix, near Place Vendôme, this Thursday, November 12. No injuries have been reported, and the suspects are on the run.

A daylight robbery just steps from Place Vendôme. This Thursday, November 12, at around 11 a.m., the De Beers boutique on Rue de la Paix, in Paris's 2nd arrondissement, was the target of an armed robbery. According to Actu17, at least four suspects armed with Kalashnikov-type rifles burst into the diamond store before fleeing on two motorcycles. Amateur video footage shared on social media shows one of them keeping watch outside the storefront, weapon in hand, during the heist.

No Injuries, Organized Crime Investigation Launched

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According to the Paris Police Prefecture, cited by franceinfo, the robbers brandished their weapons without firing them, and no injuries were reported. The Paris Prosecutor's Office has opened an immediate investigation into armed robbery by an organized gang, and the prefecture has assured that significant resources are being deployed to track down the suspects, who were described as wearing balaclavas by CNews. The value of the stolen goods has not yet been disclosed. Witness accounts still differ on some details, with sources reporting either scooters or dirt bikes, as noted by Ouest-France.

De Beers Previously Targeted in 2013

This is not the first time the diamond jeweler has been targeted in Paris. In February 2013, two armed men wearing bulletproof vests and wigs emptied two display cases at the De Beers counter inside Printemps Haussmann in just a few minutes, WWD reported at the time. The losses were estimated at approximately €3.78 million during the trial, which concluded in 2017 with sentences of up to 15 years in prison, according to AFP.

A Dark Spell for French High Jewelry

The Rue de la Paix heist comes during a particularly tense period for the sector. In October 2025, thieves stole Crown Jewels estimated at around €88 million from the Louvre, an unprecedented theft at the museum in decades, as detailed on Wikipedia. This year, the Lalique Museum in Alsace was stripped of jewelry worth several million euros, according to National Jeweler. The Vendôme district, which is home to the most prestigious jewelry and watchmaking houses, also remembers the Harry Winston heist on Avenue Montaigne in 2008: €85 million, the largest jewelry theft ever committed in France, according to AFP.

Key Takeaways

For the luxury houses located between the Opéra and Place Vendôme, this latest robbery reignites the debate over boutique security, as luxury watches and jewelry remain highly liquid targets. For buyers, it serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping invoices, certificates, and serial numbers: these are crucial for identifying a stolen piece if it resurfaces on the secondary market. We will update this article as soon as the value of the stolen goods and further details of the investigation are released.