Masked and armed thieves used the New Year's Eve celebrations to rob the flagship Apple store in Paris.

The French press reported that goods worth up to 1 million euros were stolen from the store behind the Paris Opera House which sells products such as Apple's iPhones and iPads.

Police would not immediately confirm the figure.

Police said the theft happened at about 9pm local time last night, three hours after closing, while officers were deployed around the famed Champs-Elysees Avenue where revellers traditionally gather on New Year's Eve.

Christophe Crepin, of the Unsa police union, said the "well prepared" operation was carried out by four masked and armed individuals.

The daily Le Parisien reported that the thieves entered the store by threatening a security guard at a back entrance.

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