ROME -- Thieves stole 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of gold from an apartment in central Rome on New Year's Eve, police said Tuesday, cited by AFP. The theft of the gold, estimated to be worth 50 million lire (25,000 euros, 24,000 dollars), was discovered early Tuesday. The precious metal belonged to a gold mining company and was being stored in a safe which the thieves opened with the help of a blow-torch. Police said the robbers had probably been at work throughout the night on New Year's Eve. Most of the haul was lower grade gold, along with 25 kilograms of pure gold ingots.