Jewellers Taken In By Thief

Published on 04/02/09

Jewellers around Europe have been taken in by a woman posing as a wealthy diamond-enthusiast.

A thief dressed as a well-off Muslim woman has stolen gold diamond rings from outlets in France, Germany and Switzerland, according to the police.

The incidents have occurred over a ten-year period, authorities have recently revealed.

In one theft, a jewel-encrusted band worth 635,000 euros (£574,000) was taken.

Police have revealed the woman wears a headscarf, long black dress and gold-rimmed glasses, with authorities suggesting underneath the Middle Eastern disguise is a woman of French origin.

It is also believed that the suspect may have carried out thefts from hotels in Germany and Switzerland, with one French newspaper labeling her one of the continents "high magicians" of crime.

Meanwhile, in other news regarding missing gold diamond rings, a plumber was the hero last month when he rescued a gemstone-encrusted band which a woman had dropped down the toilet in a US restaurant.