Police hunt for 15-strong gang of axe-wielding raiders after £1million jewellery robbery in Paris Police believe Roma gypsy gang behind the heist, which saw £1million worth of watches stolen from Vacheron Constantin store, Paris, on Friday Five Eastern Europeans in custody today following midday raid Robbery saw two well-dressed men enter shop before holding doors open to crowd of hooded accomplices wielding axes and smoke grenades Five Eastern Europeans were in custody in Paris today following a million-pound jewellery raid by up to 15 men brandishing axes. French police believe a highly organised Roma gypsy gang was behind the heist at the Vacheron Constantin store near Place Vendome on Friday. It saw two well-dressed men enter the store before opening the doors open for a crowd of hooded accomplices. Heist: The Vacheron Constanin store, pictured, was raided by a 15-strong gang of axe-wielding men on Friday Getaway: In this video still, a group of hooded men can be seen running across the street in central Paris Raid: The gang had forced their way into the store and stole around 20 watches - worth about £1million They smashed display cabinets and left with around 20 watches worth up to one million pounds. Meanwhile, accomplices used smoke grenades to create confusion during the raid, which happened in broad daylight shortly before 12 noon. A 24-year-old Romanian and a Moldavian, aged 17, were arrested shortly afterwards, while three more Eastern Europeans were taken into custody on Saturday. None were carrying identity papers, but police are working with police in Romania to try and identify them. Investigating officer Francis Vincenti said the arrested men had fled the scene "on foot," and that the raid "demonstrates a new kind of procedure." He said it was unusual for such a large gang to be working together, using force of numbers to terrify staff. Robbery: Policemen cordon off a street near the Place Vendome following the midday raid Arrest: Police today have said five men - all Eastern European - are in custody following the robbery Other officers suggested the gang would have received even more assistance from Paris's growing Roma community. Thousands are living in squalor around the city as they get involved in all kinds of crime, ranging from armed robbery to aggressive begging. Complaints about unhygienic camps and rising crime and anti-social behaviour have soared, with extra police struggling to deal with them all. France has been hit by a number of high-profile jewellery robberies this year, and gangs from Eastern Europe are believed to be behind a majority of them. One, during the Cannes Film Festival on the Riviera, saw robbers make off with a necklace laced in diamonds and valued at £1.3 million. In August four men rammed a 4x4 car into another shop close to Place Vendome. They made off with almost two million pounds worth of luxury watches. A French jeweler shot dead a teenage robber in Nice, also on the Riviera, last month. Despite huge support for owner Stephan Turk, he faces murder charges for shooting the teen as he made off on a getaway scooter. "Their crimes usually involve as many people as are needed," said one officer. Look-outs often include young children. There are so many working together that they can be impossible to control. Many believe such scenes will be replicated in Britain in 2014 when EU labour laws are relaxed for Romanians and Bulgarians, so allowing thousands to arrive in Britain to find work. France has been hit by a number of high-profile jewellery heists this year, and eastern European gangs are believed to be behind most of them. A robbery during the Cannes Film Festival, on the Riviera, saw robbers make off with a diamond necklace valued at 1.3 million pounds. Early last month, four men rammed a 4x4 car into another jewellery store close to Place Vendome in Paris, making off with almost two million pounds worth of luxury watches. Anger at such robberies caused a huge show of support for a French jeweller who shot dead a teenage robber in Nice, also on the Riviera, last month. Stephan Turk faces murder charges after shooting the young robber in the back as he made his getaway on a scooter. Theft: A robbery during the Cannes Film Festival, on the Riviera, saw robbers make off with millions of pounds of jewels, including this necklace