Burglars steal $500k in jewels from Bulgari, then escaped through Rome's sewers

Transcript

SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:

Hollywood, take note. We have a story now from Rome, and maybe we can call it "The Italian Job: The Sequel." Thieves stole more than $400,000 worth of gems and watches from the famed luxury jeweler Bulgari, and they entered the store through Rome's elaborate sewer system.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

At midnight, on Saturday, in an upscale shopping district, a group of three-to-five burglars reportedly dug a hole in the floor of the store. Once inside, they barricaded the entrance and snatched up the merchandise, setting off the alarm.

PFEIFFER: It took police officers seven minutes to arrive at the scene and another four minutes to enter the barricaded door. That was just enough time for the burglars to retreat, once again, through Rome's complex web of underground sewers.

KELLY: In all the commotion, the group left behind a crowbar. No word yet on whether there are fingerprints on that crowbar, and it is not clear if that might lead to any of the jewels being recovered. I guess, Sacha, we're going to have to wait for the movie version.

PFEIFFER: Yes, we will.

(SOUNDBITE OF DAVID HOLMES' "$160 MILLION CHINESE MAN") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.