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Although it is an armored security car, this did not stop thieves from intercepting it and carrying out a massive armed robbery in Lyon, France, and stealing 9 million euros ($ 10.72 million).
This theft is believed to be the largest of its kind in France, as notorious thief Tony Mussolin managed to steal € 11.6 million in 2009, most of which was later recovered.
According to the daily “Guardian”, the armored vehicle was attacked around 9 am on Friday, as it left the branch of the “Bank of France” in Lyon.
The prosecution said that the attack on the car, which belonged to the security company “Loomis”, did not cause injuries, “but the losses amounted to 9 million euros”.
They added that “the perpetrators managed to escape immediately after committing the crime.”
According to local reports, two trucks intercepted the armored vehicle, one in front and one behind, and the thieves threatened the driver, seized the money, and then fled in two cars that were later found burned.
“It was a bold attack that took place right in the middle of the city,” said Michel Trish, Loomis CEO.
“The most important thing is that the guards were not injured,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kadir Benjosh, a trade unionist from Loomis, said the three guards, who are two men and one woman, were subjected to severe concussions, adding that they will see a psychiatrist next Monday.
According to two members of the security team whose car was attacked, there had previously been “recurring problems” with the locking system of armored security vehicles.
The two colleagues, who requested anonymity, added that although the security code was supposed to be changed for each operation, the car that was attacked had a “permanent code”, which helped the militants and gave them time to complete the crime quickly.
Police and regional specialists opened an urgent investigation.
According to “The Guardian”, this was not the first theft in the history of the Swedish company “Loomis”, since their cars had previously been subjected to similar attacks.
In May 2017, 35 million euros in cash, diamonds and gold bars were stolen from an armored vehicle in Switzerland.
In December 2016, thieves stole 70 kilograms of “gold dust”, worth 2.5 million euros, from the same company near Lyon.
