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More than 200 items of jewellery have disappeared in mysterious circumstances from the Hermitage museum here, it said on Monday.
The loss of the 221 items, worth around 130 million roubles (five million dollars, four million euros), was noticed during a routine inspection.
"There are many strange things in this affair. An employee working on the collection died suddenly at the beginning of the inspection. The other supervisors discovered the disappearance whilst continuing the inspection," a spokesman said without giving further details.
It is not the first time that exhibits from the museum have vanished. In March 2001 thieves cut out from its frame and made off with a painting by French artist Jean-Leon Gerome insured for one million dollars .
The Hermitage is one of the largest art galleries and museums in the world, housing more than two and a half million works of art.
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AFPEntertainment-Russia-museum-crime
AFP 311720 GMT 07 06
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