Uruguayan resort thieves nab jewels worth $5.6 m

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AFP) - Some US$4.6 million (S$5.6 million) worth of jewelry and another US$33,000 in cash were stolen from a house in an exclusive Uruguayan resort town, police said on Sunday.

The theft took place in Barra, near Punta del Este, 140km east of the capital, in the early morning hours, police spokesman Victor Iraola told AFP.

"The victims were a 35-year-old Italian man and an eastern European woman," he added.

Mr Iraola said the thieves entered the home without attacking anyone, even though there were people there, stealing a safe with "17 pieces of expensive jewelry", as well as the cash, which was in another part of the room.