Paris police find stolen jewels in drain

ASTANA. March 9. KAZINFORM French police have found stolen jewellery worth 18m euros ($25m; £15m) hidden in a drain in a Paris suburb. Kazinform refers to BBC.

Police say 19 rings and three sets of earrings were concealed in a plastic container set into a cement mould at a house in Seine-Saint-Denis.

They were part of the spectacular robbery from Paris's luxury Harry Winston boutique in 2008.

As many as four armed robbers stole at least 80m euros worth of jewellery from the shop.

The thieves - two of whom were disguised as women - stormed the shop near the Champs-Elysee in December 2008 and stole nearly all its valuables.

They spoke French and another language, seemed well informed and knew the names of some of the staff, police said at the time.

Police have since detained and questioned 25 people in connection with the robbery - one of the country's most serious for decades.

Harry Winston is situated on the fashionable Avenue Montaigne and attracts a wealthy clientele from around the world, from royalty to film stars. Kazinform cites BBC. See www.bbc.co.uk