Six Suspects Apprehended Following €12M Heist on Precious Metals Facility in France

A team of six suspects using high-powered firearms used explosive devices to force entry into 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 daylight theft to occur in the nation.

The audacious robbery was carried out on Thursday late morning, with police forces swiftly apprehending the individuals believed responsible and recovering the stolen goods assessed at around €12M (£10.5 million), according to officials.

Five staff members of the precious metals facility received light wounds from the blast, and three of them were transported to hospital for assessment, according to regional authorities. Twenty-eight employees were present on-site when the perpetrators raided.

The suspects, believed to be experienced criminals, were detained soon afterwards in the neighboring community of Vénissieux, France, a source close to the investigation stated.

A female participant involved in the raid was also apprehended, a police source indicated.

“Six individuals who employed explosive devices in an assault targeting a gold refining facility in Lyon were arrested at the scene,” the French interior minister stated online, lauding police for their “decisiveness, speed and control”.

High-caliber firearms, handguns and detonation devices were also confiscated.

The robbery occurred as French police on the same day arrested five more suspects, among them a key figure, in regarding the recent audacious theft at the Louvre.

Many investigative personnel have been hunting four robbers who employed a truck featuring an elevating platform and cutting gear to breach a first-floor gallery at the museum on October 19th, making off with ornaments assessed at around 88 million euros.

In another notable incident, thieves last month forced their way into the French capital's Natural History Museum, stealing gold samples valued at more than one million dollars. A 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested earlier this month in Barcelona, Spain in relation to the burglary, according to legal authorities.

The string of thefts has sparked worry in the country regarding lax security at museums and various establishments containing precious artifacts.