Story highlights

Women were being driven from Paris-Le Bourget Airport north of the city

Robbery is just the latest in a spate of high-profile crimes in the French capital

Paris CNN  — 

Two Qatari sisters were robbed north of Paris by masked men who took jewelry and other personal effects worth an estimated 5 million euros ($5.3 million), officials say.

The women were being driven from Paris-Le Bourget Airport to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport when two masked men intercepted their car Monday, said the general secretary of the Bobigny prosecutor, who according to protocol did not wish to be named.

Forcing the vehicle to stop, the robbers sprayed tear gas at the driver and manhandled the women before taking their suitcases containing the valuables, the official said.

The Banditry Repression Brigade, a special police unit within the Interior Ministry, was set to interview the women.

Spate of high-profile crimes

The case is the latest in a spate of recent high-profile robberies, or attempted robberies, in the Paris region.

On October 3, American reality TV star Kim Kardashian West was tied up and robbed at gunpoint of an estimated $10 million worth of jewelry in a luxury private apartment in Paris’ 8th Arrondissement by men dressed as police officers.

And this month, masked attackers accosted Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat and her French boyfriend in the hallway of his apartment building in Paris’ 16th Arrondissement.

The three attackers sprayed tear gas at the couple, pushed the actress to the ground and tried to grab her bag, but fled empty-handed after the two fought back.

Two years ago, gunmen brandishing automatic weapons robbed a Saudi Embassy convoy carrying a Saudi prince to Paris-Le Bourget Airport, taking 250,000 euros and diplomatic documents, French police said at the time.

Journalist Oceane Cornevin reported from Paris, and CNN’s Tim Hume reported and wrote from London.