<p>Thieves made off with nine million euros in cash in the southeastern French city of Lyon on Friday in an armed attack on an armoured security vehicle, prosecutors said.</p>.<p>The theft is believed to be the biggest such cash heist in France since notorious robber Toni Musulin in 2009 made off with 11.6 million euros ($13.8 million), most of which was subsequently recovered.</p>.<p>The vehicle was attacked at around (9:00 am local time (0700 GMT) by several armed individuals as it came out of a branch of the Bank of France in Lyon.</p>.<p>No one was injured in the attack on the vehicle belonging to the Loomis security company "but the losses amount to nine million euros (about $10.7 million)", prosecutors said in a statement to AFP.</p>.<p>"The perpetrators managed to immediately flee after committing the act."</p>.<p>Local reports said two vans blocked the armoured vehicle, one in front and one behind.</p>.<p>The robbers threatened the driver, took the money, and fled in two vehicles later found burnt.</p>.<p>"It was an audacious attack, right in the city centre," Loomis chief executive Michel Tresch told AFP.</p>.<p>"The most important thing is that the cash escorts are safe and sound," he added.</p>.<p>The three employees are extremely shocked, Loomis trade unionist Kader Bengueche said, adding they would see a psychologist on Monday.</p>.<p>According to two colleagues of the attacked security team -- two men and a woman --, there have been repeated problems with the security vehicles' locking system.</p>.<p>While the security code is supposed to be changed for each run, the attacked vehicle had a "permanent code" which saved time for the robbers, added the colleagues who asked not to be named.</p>.<p>"There is clearly a fault on the part of the company," one told AFP, stressing that the driver of the attacked vehicle was a former shooting instructor trained in "defensive driving".</p>.<p>An enquiry was swiftly opened by police and regional specialists.</p>.<p>Cash handling Swedish company Loomis has been attacked several times over the years.</p>.<p>In May 2017, 35 million euros ($41 million) worth of goods -- cash, diamonds and gold ingots -- were stolen from one of its vehicles in Switzerland.</p>.<p>And in December 2016, thieves stole 70 kilos of gold dust worth 2.5 million euros ($2.9 million) from the same company near Lyon.</p>.<p>In March this year another notorious French robber, Redoine Faid, was sentenced on appeal to 28 years in prison for an explosives attack on a Loomis van in the northern town of Calais in 2011.</p>.<p>But Loomis chief executive Tresch told AFP that compared to the 2000s, there are now fewer physical attacks.</p>.<p>"It is a lot easier to carry out attacks (on the internet) via hackers, as opposed to attacking an armoured vehicle," Tresch said.</p>.<p>"It's not the same exposure."</p>.<p>In March this year another notorious French robber, Redoine Faid, was sentenced on appeal to 28 years in prison for an explosives attack on a Loomis van in the northern town of Calais in 2011.</p>
<p>Thieves made off with nine million euros in cash in the southeastern French city of Lyon on Friday in an armed attack on an armoured security vehicle, prosecutors said.</p>.<p>The theft is believed to be the biggest such cash heist in France since notorious robber Toni Musulin in 2009 made off with 11.6 million euros ($13.8 million), most of which was subsequently recovered.</p>.<p>The vehicle was attacked at around (9:00 am local time (0700 GMT) by several armed individuals as it came out of a branch of the Bank of France in Lyon.</p>.<p>No one was injured in the attack on the vehicle belonging to the Loomis security company "but the losses amount to nine million euros (about $10.7 million)", prosecutors said in a statement to AFP.</p>.<p>"The perpetrators managed to immediately flee after committing the act."</p>.<p>Local reports said two vans blocked the armoured vehicle, one in front and one behind.</p>.<p>The robbers threatened the driver, took the money, and fled in two vehicles later found burnt.</p>.<p>"It was an audacious attack, right in the city centre," Loomis chief executive Michel Tresch told AFP.</p>.<p>"The most important thing is that the cash escorts are safe and sound," he added.</p>.<p>The three employees are extremely shocked, Loomis trade unionist Kader Bengueche said, adding they would see a psychologist on Monday.</p>.<p>According to two colleagues of the attacked security team -- two men and a woman --, there have been repeated problems with the security vehicles' locking system.</p>.<p>While the security code is supposed to be changed for each run, the attacked vehicle had a "permanent code" which saved time for the robbers, added the colleagues who asked not to be named.</p>.<p>"There is clearly a fault on the part of the company," one told AFP, stressing that the driver of the attacked vehicle was a former shooting instructor trained in "defensive driving".</p>.<p>An enquiry was swiftly opened by police and regional specialists.</p>.<p>Cash handling Swedish company Loomis has been attacked several times over the years.</p>.<p>In May 2017, 35 million euros ($41 million) worth of goods -- cash, diamonds and gold ingots -- were stolen from one of its vehicles in Switzerland.</p>.<p>And in December 2016, thieves stole 70 kilos of gold dust worth 2.5 million euros ($2.9 million) from the same company near Lyon.</p>.<p>In March this year another notorious French robber, Redoine Faid, was sentenced on appeal to 28 years in prison for an explosives attack on a Loomis van in the northern town of Calais in 2011.</p>.<p>But Loomis chief executive Tresch told AFP that compared to the 2000s, there are now fewer physical attacks.</p>.<p>"It is a lot easier to carry out attacks (on the internet) via hackers, as opposed to attacking an armoured vehicle," Tresch said.</p>.<p>"It's not the same exposure."</p>.<p>In March this year another notorious French robber, Redoine Faid, was sentenced on appeal to 28 years in prison for an explosives attack on a Loomis van in the northern town of Calais in 2011.</p>