Masked men armed with tear gas robbed around 20 tourists who were waiting for shuttle buses outside a Paris airport hotel at the weekend, sources close to the investigation said Monday (July 10).

The black-clad thieves arrived in at least two vehicles at the hotel near Charles de Gaulle airport and robbed the French, American and Moroccan tourists of their luggage and personal belongings on Saturday, the sources told AFP.

Hotels around the airport as well as the motorway leading to Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget – Europe’s busiest private jet airport – are frequently targeted by thieves.

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Last August, around six assailants sprayed tear gas on Chinese tourists outside a hotel near the airport and made off with their luggage.

Two Qataris leaving Le Bourget in a Bentley headed for Paris were attacked in November when the thieves made off with some five million euros (US$5.7 million) worth of jewellery and clothing.

In February a Russian couple were robbed of jewellery and luxury goods worth some 100,000 euros on the same stretch of motorway. (StraitsTimes)