Swedish crown jewels stolen in elaborate heist

Thieves have made off with priceless Swedish crown jewels, in a daring heist reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.

According to Swedish radio the offenders took two crowns and a royal orb known as a ‘riksapple’ from the ancient cathedral, west of Stockholm, around lunchtime today.

They were the funeral crowns of Karl IV and his wife Queen Kristina, who died in the early 17th century.

Two men were seen to jump into a motor boat moored just below the church.

Police quickly mobilised and pursued the thieves by sea, on land, in helicopters and planes.

But the pair somehow evaded pursuit and vanished.

The spokesman said they could have left the motorboat and jumped in a getaway car heading west into the hinterlands, or east to Stockholm.

Police chief spokesman told Swedish TV the lost objects were “invaluable objects of national interest”.

[Source: stuff.co.nz]