Six Arrested Following 12 Million Euro Heist on Gold Processing Laboratory in the French Republic
A group of six individuals using high-powered firearms employed explosives to force entry into a gold refining laboratory located in the city of Lyon, resulting in minor injuries to five staff members during what appears to be the newest significant daylight theft to hit the nation.
The bold operation took place on Thursday late morning, with law enforcement authorities swiftly apprehending the alleged criminals and recovering the stolen goods assessed at around 12 million euros (10.5 million pounds), according to officials.
Five employees of the gold refining company sustained minor injuries due to the explosion, and three employees were taken to a medical facility for evaluation, according to regional authorities. Twenty-eight employees were at the location when the thieves struck.
The individuals, considered experienced criminals, were detained shortly after the incident in the nearby town of the town of VĂ©nissieux, authorities revealed.
A female accomplice who took part in the robbery was taken into custody as well, officers confirmed.
“Six people who employed explosive devices in an assault targeting a precious metals company in the Lyon area were caught in the act,” France's security official announced via X, lauding police for their “quick action, authority and management”.
Assault rifles, handguns and explosives were recovered as well.
The heist took place as law enforcement in France on the same day arrested five more suspects, among them a key figure, in relation to the bold theft at the Louvre.
Dozens of investigators have been pursuing four robbers who employed a truck with a hydraulic lift and cutting tools to access a gallery on the first floor at the renowned museum on the nineteenth of October, fleeing with ornaments assessed at around €88M.
In a different significant robbery, burglars recently forced their way into the Parisian museum of natural history, making off with gold samples valued at more than one million dollars. A 24-year-old Chinese woman was taken into custody recently in Barcelona in connection with the break-in, prosecutors stated.
The sequence of heists has raised concerns in France regarding inadequate security measures at museums and various establishments housing valuable items.