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French minister defends decision to detain jeweller who shot robber dead French minister defends decision to detain jeweller who shot robber dead
(35 minutes later)
The French interior minister was dispatched to Nice on Tuesday to appeal to shopkeepers to let justice take its course after hundreds protested over the detention of a jeweller who shot and killed an escaping robber.The French interior minister was dispatched to Nice on Tuesday to appeal to shopkeepers to let justice take its course after hundreds protested over the detention of a jeweller who shot and killed an escaping robber.
Stephan Turk, 67, was confined at home with an electronic bracelet after the shooting last week that left the teenager dead outside Turk's jewellery store in the French Riviera city. An accomplice escaped on a motorbike.Stephan Turk, 67, was confined at home with an electronic bracelet after the shooting last week that left the teenager dead outside Turk's jewellery store in the French Riviera city. An accomplice escaped on a motorbike.
"Even when faced with the unbearable, we have to let justice prevail," the interior minister, Manuel Valls, said."Even when faced with the unbearable, we have to let justice prevail," the interior minister, Manuel Valls, said.
Jewellers in southern France say they are being targeted increasingly by thieves and lack the resources to protect themselves. "It was a difficult situation. I don't know how I would have reacted myself," Yan Turk, the son of the jeweller, told the Nice Matin paper. "I don't endorse what he did, but he had been beaten and threatened with death … We've had it with being targeted by robbers." Jewellers in southern France say they are being targeted increasingly by thieves and lack the resources to protect themselves. "It was a difficult situation. I don't know how I would have reacted myself," Yan Turk, the son of the jeweller, told the Nice Matin paper. "I don't endorse what he did, but he had been beaten and threatened with death … we've had it with being targeted by robbers."
France has seen a spate of high-profile jewellery thefts lately. A single gunman made off with a $136m (£86m) cache in July in Cannes. That was followed by another armed robbery days later in the same city. In Paris's wealthy Place Vendôme on 9 September, thieves drove a sports utility vehicle into a jewellery store, grabbed €2m (£1.7m) worth of jewels, then set the vehicle on fire and escaped. France has seen a spate of high-profile jewellery thefts lately. A single gunman made off with an $136m (£86m) cache in July in Cannes. That was followed by another armed robbery days later in the same city. In Paris's wealthy Place Vendôme on 9 September, thieves drove a sports utility vehicle into a jewellery store and grabbed €2m (£1.7m) worth of jewels, then set the vehicle on fire and escaped.
"The number of jewellery store robberies has been climbing for years. There's one robbery a day in France," Christine Boquet, president of the union of jewellers and watchmakers, told Nice Matin. "This creates enormous stress for the merchants. They live with this fear and insecurity every day.""The number of jewellery store robberies has been climbing for years. There's one robbery a day in France," Christine Boquet, president of the union of jewellers and watchmakers, told Nice Matin. "This creates enormous stress for the merchants. They live with this fear and insecurity every day."
The sister of the 19-year-old who was killed has accused Turk of shooting him in the back. "He shot a kid in the back. He's a traitor, he's a coward," said Alexandra Asli, the sister of Anthony Asli.The sister of the 19-year-old who was killed has accused Turk of shooting him in the back. "He shot a kid in the back. He's a traitor, he's a coward," said Alexandra Asli, the sister of Anthony Asli.
Asli had been convicted 14 times in juvenile court, according to Nice prosecutor Eric Bedos. Bedos defended his decision to bring preliminary charges on Friday against Turk, whose gun he said was not legal. Asli had been convicted 14 times in juvenile court, according to Nice prosecutor Eric Bedos. Bedos defended his decision to bring preliminary charges on Friday against Turk, whose gun, he said, was not legal.
"After he was threatened, the jeweller grabbed his firearm, moved toward the metal shutters, crouched and fired three times. He said he fired twice to immobilise the scooter and a third time he fired because he said he felt threatened," Bedos said. "I'm convinced that he fired to kill his aggressor. When he fired, his life was no longer in danger." "After he was threatened the jeweller grabbed his firearm, moved toward the metal shutters, crouched and fired three times. He said he fired twice to immobilise the scooter and a third time he fired because he said he felt threatened," Bedos said. "I'm convinced that he fired to kill his aggressor. When he fired, his life was no longer in danger."
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