Six Individuals Detained Following €12 Million Armed Raid on Gold Processing Laboratory in the French Republic

A team of six suspects carrying military-grade weapons used explosive devices to force entry into a gold refining laboratory located in Lyon, slightly injuring five workers during what is being called the latest high-profile daytime heist to affect the nation.

The bold operation occurred on Thursday afternoon, with officers quickly arresting the suspected perpetrators and securing the stolen items assessed at around €12M (£10.5 million), according to officials.

Five workers of the gold refining company were slightly hurt from the blast, and three individuals were taken to a medical facility for assessment, according to regional authorities. Twenty-eight workers were inside the facility when the perpetrators raided.

The suspects, thought to be career criminals, were arrested soon afterwards in the adjacent municipality of Vénissieux, France, a source close to the investigation stated.

A female accomplice who took part in the robbery was taken into custody as well, a police source indicated.

“Six people who employed explosive devices in an assault targeting a gold refining facility in Lyon, France were caught in the act,” France's security official stated online, lauding police for their “firmness, rapid response and command”.

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

The heist took place as authorities on the same day apprehended five additional individuals, featuring a main perpetrator, in regarding the recent audacious raid on the Louvre museum.

Many investigative personnel have been hunting four perpetrators who employed a truck with a hydraulic lift and cutting tools to access a gallery on the first floor at the prestigious institution on October 19th, fleeing with ornaments assessed at around €88 million.

In a different significant robbery, thieves last month forced their way into the Parisian museum of natural history, stealing gold samples valued at more than one million dollars. A young Chinese female was arrested earlier this month in Barcelona in relation to the burglary, officials confirmed.

The string of thefts has sparked worry in the nation regarding lax security at museums and other institutions containing precious artifacts.