Six Suspects Apprehended Following €12 Million Heist on Precious Metals Facility in the French Republic

Six armed perpetrators carrying military-grade weapons detonated charges to break into a precious metals processing plant located in the city of Lyon, causing light wounds to five employees during what appears to be the most recent prominent broad daylight robbery to affect France.

The daring raid occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, with officers quickly arresting the alleged criminals and retrieving the loot valued at approximately 12 million euros (£10.5M), as stated by authorities.

Five workers of Laboratoires Pourquery received light wounds due to the explosion, and three individuals required hospital checks for examination, officials confirmed. Twenty-eight employees were present on-site when the perpetrators raided.

The suspects, believed to be career criminals, were detained soon afterwards in the nearby town of Vénissieux, according to investigative sources.

A female accomplice who participated in the robbery was likewise arrested, officers confirmed.

“Six suspects who used detonations in an assault targeting a gold refining facility in Lyon, France were apprehended red-handed,” France's security official declared on social media, lauding police for their “firmness, rapid response and command”.

Assault rifles, handguns and explosives were also confiscated.

The robbery occurred as authorities on Thursday apprehended five additional individuals, including a primary suspect, in connection with the bold raid on the Louvre museum.

Many investigative personnel have been pursuing four robbers who used a vehicle with a hydraulic lift and cutting tools to breach a first-floor gallery at the prestigious institution on 19 October, fleeing with jewelry valued at approximately €88 million.

In a separate high-profile case, thieves last month forced their way into the Parisian museum of natural history, stealing gold samples valued at more than one million dollars. A 24-year-old Chinese woman was taken into custody recently in Barcelona, Spain in relation to the burglary, according to legal authorities.

The sequence of heists has raised concerns in France regarding inadequate security measures at museums and various establishments holding high-value objects.