Thieves go for gold in Japan museum

Three thieves have made off with a publicly displayed block of gold bullion worth around $1.71m (£880,632) from a Japanese museum.

The masked men reportedly shoved aside a woman museum worker and fled with an accomplice who had been serving as a lookout at the museum in Takayama, central Japan.

A police spokesman said: "There were no sensors or burglar alarms, since the museum allowed its visitors to touch the gold as they wanted."

He could not explain why the 100 kg piece had been displayed in the museum.

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.