Six Arrested Following 12 Million Euro Armed Raid on Precious Metals Facility in France

Six armed perpetrators using military-grade weapons used explosive devices to breach the security of a precious metals processing plant located in Lyon, France, resulting in minor injuries to five employees during what is being called the latest high-profile daytime heist to occur in the country.

The audacious robbery took place on the afternoon of Thursday, with officers quickly arresting the suspected perpetrators and retrieving the loot valued at approximately 12 million euros (£10.5 million), as stated by authorities.

Five employees of the precious metals facility received light wounds as a result of the detonation, and three employees were transported to hospital for assessment, according to regional authorities. Twenty-eight employees were present on-site when the perpetrators raided.

The individuals, thought to be experienced criminals, were taken into custody a brief time later in the nearby town of Vénissieux, a source close to the investigation stated.

A female accomplice involved in the robbery was taken into custody as well, according to law enforcement.

“Six people who utilized explosives in an attack on a gold refining facility in Lyon were arrested at the scene,” the French interior minister stated online, praising officers for their “firmness, rapid response and command”.

Assault rifles, handguns and explosives were likewise seized.

The raid happened as French police on Thursday arrested five more suspects, among them a key figure, in connection with the recent audacious theft at the Louvre.

Dozens of investigators have been hunting four perpetrators who used a vehicle with a hydraulic lift and cutting tools to breach a first-floor gallery at the museum on 19 October, fleeing with precious items estimated to be worth 88 million euros.

In a separate high-profile case, thieves last month entered illegally the Natural History Museum in Paris, making off with gold samples estimated at exceeding $1M. A young Chinese female was arrested earlier this month in the city of Barcelona in connection with the break-in, officials confirmed.

This series of robberies has sparked worry in the nation regarding lax security at cultural venues and other facilities containing precious artifacts.