Ocean's Eleven-Style Heist: Sewer-Drilling Thieves Steal €500,000 from Rome Bulgari Boutique

ROME — In a robbery reminiscent of a Hollywood film, a daring gang of thieves successfully breached a luxury Bulgari boutique in Rome by navigating the city's underground sewer network and drilling directly through the shop's floor.

The sophisticated heist took place along Via dei Condotti, one of Rome's most exclusive and expensive shopping streets. The thieves managed to escape with a massive haul of high-market luxury jewellery, estimated to be worth at least half a million euros (approximately £400,000).

An Underground Infiltration

According to police reports, the criminals waded through the subterranean sewers beneath the historic Italian capital before locating the precise coordinates of the Bulgari store above. Using heavy drilling equipment, they bored a hole through the concrete floor, emerging directly inside the high-end boutique undetected.

Once inside, the burglars bypassed internal security systems and quickly raided the display cabinets, stealing precious gems and luxury timepieces. The gang then retreated back down the drilled shaft and escaped through the sewer tunnels before police officers, alerted by a late-triggering alarm, could arrive at the scene.

A Manhunt Underway in the Capital

Italian authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the heist, analyzing the underground route used by the thieves and searching for forensic evidence inside the sewer tunnels. Investigators believe the gang had detailed architectural plans of the building and the sewer system, pointing to a highly planned and coordinated operation. Detectives are reviewing security footage from surrounding streets to identify any accomplices who may have acted as lookouts above ground.