A gang of masked thieves have stolen €300,000 (£250,000) worth of equipment from the set of the Netflix heist drama Lupin in France, according to reports.
About 20 people broke on to the set after throwing mortar fireworks while the actor Omar Sy, who plays the protagonist, was performing in a scene, according to AFP.
The robbery took place in a neighbourhood in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris, on 25 February. After a short hiatus, filming for part three of the drama resumed on Monday, Variety reported.
Netflix told the website there had been “an incident” during filming of Lupin, adding: “Our cast and crew are safe and there were no injuries.” Authorities are investigating.
Sy plays Assane Diop, a character inspired by the infamous gentleman thief and master of disguise Arsène Lupin. The show, produced by the French studio Gaumont, is Netflix’s second biggest international series after Squid Game.
Only a few hours after the robbery, Sy was on stage at the César awards in Paris to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the comedy Intouchables, which in 2012 earned him a César prize for best actor.
Last month £150,000 worth of props were stolen from the set of another Netflix series, The Crown.
Three vehicles were broken into in a lorry park in Mexborough, South Yorkshire, while a unit was shooting nearby. Netflix said it did not affect the production.
A spokesperson said after that incident: “We can confirm the antiques have been stolen and we hope that they are found and returned safely. Replacements will be sourced; there is no expectation that filming will be held up.”
In October last year a thief mimicking the style of the protagonist in Lupin robbed the bar of a church oratory in northern Italy. The 21-year-old, who was not named, wore a leather jacket similar to the one worn by Diop.
He told police he had closely studied the techniques of Diop in preparation for the heist. After entering the bar in Monza, the man stole about €21 from the till and a bottle of fizzy orange. However, he sustained injuries to his arm from smashing through the glass door, and after returning home he called for help.
According to reports in the Italian press, the man initially concocted a story of having been attacked and robbed by three people. But he subsequently broke down in tears in front of the police, admitted his guilt and said he had been inspired by Lupin.
