French police arrest six over armed robbery at gold laboratory

"Six people armed with military-grade weapons used explosives to break into a gold refining laboratory in Lyon, slightly injuring five employees in the latest high-profile daytime heist to hit France. The audacious raid in the eastern city took place on Thursday afternoon, with police quickly arresting the suspected perpetrators and recovering the loot estimated at €12 million, officials said. Five employees of Laboratoires Pourquery were "slightly injured in the explosion" and three were taken to hospital for checks, the regional prefecture told AFP."

"The suspects, believed to be seasoned criminals, were detained shortly after in the neighbouring town of Venissieux, a source close to the case told AFP. A woman, an accomplice who took part in the robbery, was also arrested, a police source told AFP. "Six people who used explosives in an attack on a precious metals company in Lyon were caught red-handed," Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said on X, praising officers for their "firmness, speed and control." Assault rifles, handguns and explosives were also seized."

"The robbery took place as French police on Thursday arrested five more people, including a prime suspect, over this month's brazen Louvre museum robbery. Dozens of detectives have been hunting for four thieves who used a truck with a moving lift and cutting gear to break into a first-floor gallery at the museum on October 19th, fleeing with jewellery worth an estimated $102 million."

Six armed people used explosives to break into a gold-refining laboratory in Lyon, slightly injuring five employees. Police rapidly arrested the suspected perpetrators in the neighbouring town of Venissieux and recovered loot estimated at €12 million. Assault rifles, handguns and explosives were seized and a female accomplice was also detained. Twenty-eight employees were present during the raid and three injured workers were taken to hospital for checks. The incident coincided with arrests linked to a Louvre museum heist and followed a recent theft at the Natural History Museum, raising concerns about security at venues holding high-value items.

Read at The Local France