The Carlton Hotel Diamond Heist of 1994

Welcome to Heist Files of the 90s, a limited-series podcast covering some of the most daring, criminal heists of the decade. August 11, 1994. Cannes, France. The French Riviera. The Carlton Hotel, a luxury establishment dating back to 1911, was hosting a temporary exhibition of jewelry owned by the high-end jeweler Fred Joaillier. Shortly before closing time, three men entered the jewelry boutique inside the hotel. Their approach was rapid and direct. This is Heist Files of the 90s. This episode: The 1994 Carlton Hotel Heist. The three men wore masks and carried automatic weapons. They ordered employees and customers to lie on the floor. The robbers used the butt of their weapons to smash multiple display cases, sweeping diamonds and other jewelry into bags. The robbery lasted approximately two minutes. As they exited the building, the thieves fired their automatic weapons into the air to keep bystanders away as they escaped. No injuries were reported. Initial reports suggested the theft could exceed $60 million. However, authorities later confirmed that the most valuable pieces of the collection had already been transported back to Paris prior to the heist. The revised estimate of the stolen goods was approximately $43 million. French police stated that the robbery was carried out with military-style precision. The investigation produced little forensic evidence, and no arrests were ever made. The stolen jewelry has not been recovered. Join us next time on Heist Files of the 90s.