Two individuals were arrested by French police Monday on charges that they robbed several jewelry stores over the past several months – disguised as religious Jews, and wearing fake beards. Most of the stores they robbed were jewelry stores. The two, plus a third thief who has not yet been apprehended, have police records.

Police said that the three, ages 19-20, apparently felt that they could more easily gain accesss to jewelry stores, since religious Jews are not seen as a threat in France. The three are not Jewish thenselves, police added.