France - armed robbery

Armed robbers snatch millions in security van heist

Article published on the 2010-01-04 Latest update 2010-01-05 15:38 TU

Armed robbers got away with four million euros
(Photo: Sazias)

Armed robbers in southern France held up an armoured security van at gunpoint on Monday, escaping with millions of euros in cash.

The gang, believed to consist of a dozen masked gunmen, used several vehicles to block the Sazias security van in the village of Gemenos, near Aubagne, before firing a rocket and finally resorting to explosives to get their hands on the money

A spokesperson for Sazias said the van had been carrying more than eight million euros, but the attackers only managed to break into two of the four safety deposit boxes, taking some four million euros.

A witness claimed that the gang was armed with kalashnikovs and had placed a blaring police siren on one of its vehicles to halt the van. After a brief exchange of gunfire with local police, the gunmen managed to escape aboard several vehicles that were later abandoned and set on fire.

"This was a very organised gang," said Marseille prosecutor Jacques Dallest.

"They were able to break into the van using explosives, which suggests that they had serious means at their disposal."

Sazias said the van, which was outfitted with state-of-the-art security technology, had just left the firm's storage and was en route to Toulon to make a deposit at the Banque de France.

A Sazias van was targeted in another heist in Gemenos in September 2007 in which ten million euros were stolen.