Paris thieves steal $720,000 in luxury belongings from Saudi princess

Luxury belongings amounting to some 600,000 euros ($720,000) were stolen from the 47-year-old Saudi princess' apartment in the French capital.

The Saudi royal returned to her flat for the first time since August only to find her designer bags, watches, jewellery and furs missing.

The princess, whose name was not revealed, was hospitalised in a state of shock and has not yet spoken to police.

The thieves appear to have entered the apartment, situated near the swank Avenue George V in the heart of Paris without using force, a source close to the case said.

The bounty included around 30 Hermes bags worth between 10,000 and 30,000 euros each, a Cartier watch, jewellery and fur items.

Prosecutors launched a formal investigation into the case, which will be handled by the Paris police's special anti-gang unit.

An early suspect was a man who had been staying at the royal's apartment since August, Le Parisien newspaper reported, noting a spare set of keys to her home had gone missing.

Saudi royals are recent visitors of the French capital, though some particular trips regularly make headlines.

Last year, French courts found Hassa bint Salman, daughter of King Salman and a sister of the kingdom's powerful de facto ruler, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, guilty of instructing her bodyguard Rani Saidi to beat up a plumber.

Ashraf Eid was allegedly seen taking pictures insider her home in September 2016, triggering the brutal attack and subsequent hours-long hostage.

Eid said he was held at gunpoint and told by the bodyguard to "kiss the princess's feet or risk further assault".

The princess, who was tried in absentia, was fined €10,000 ($11,000) by a French court and handed a 10-month suspended sentence.

Her bodyguard, who attended the trial in Paris, received a €5,000 ($5,600) fine and an eight-month suspended prison sentence.

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