Two young women were arrested after stealing watches and jewels to the value of more than 120,000 euros from two residential buildings in Monaco.
However, when their case came before the Monaco Criminal Court, they were absent, having been released from custody.
They were both sentenced to 18 months jail and arrest warrants were issued, French-language newspaper Monaco Matin reported.
The two miscreants, part of a community of Roma living in Italy, told the police on their arrest that they were looking for a doctor to treat their uncle suffering from cancer.
They have numerous convictions for similar offences in France and Belgium, the court was told. One of the two, 22 years old, was also being sought for crimes in Germany and Switzerland.
PHOTO: The Radieuse building on blvd. d’Italie. The other was the Casablanca Jack Brodie