Another Disastrous Heist: 3.6 Million AED Stolen at the Cannes Film Festival

Yesterday, I posted about the Tiffany & Co's heist at their flagship 5th Avenue store. Two diamond-laden necklaces were stolen in broad daylight and this brazen robbery spurred a national debate on jewelry store security, or lack thereof.  

I figured there wouldn't be another heist of note for at least the next few months. But, boy, was I wrong. 

3.6 Million AED (1 Million USD) worth of Chopard jewels were stolen from Novotel Hotel in Nice, France. The jewelry was meant to be worn on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival and was stolen while the a Chopard employee responsible was out to dinner.

If you haven't noticed, the Swiss luxury firm has been a staunch promoter at the French festival. A-List celebrities and the world's rich and famous have been doning their gorgeous pieces for the past 15 years. Chopard also sponsored and designed one of the most coveted awards at the festival, the Palme d’Or, a prize awarded to the best director (the winner this year: Abdellatif Kechiche, Tunisian- born French director of Blue Is the Warmest Color, a story about a passionate lesbian relationship in France).

Designing the Golden Palm (Palme d'Or)

The final product, presented to the best director