Fake police stage daylight cash van heist in Italy
Gunfire erupts after dramatic attempted robbery on road: Truck set ablaze to block road as suspects impersonate officers: Robbers flee after shootout, loot motorists instead of armoured van
A dramatic robbery attempt unfolded in Italy when armed suspects dressed in police uniforms tried to loot a cash van in broad daylight on a busy roadway, 24NewsHD TV channnel reported on Tuesday.
According to reports, the assailants first blocked the road by parking a truck in the middle of the street and setting it on fire, creating chaos and halting traffic in the area.
Moments later, the suspects arrived at the scene posing as police officers, apparently to take control of the situation and approach the armoured cash vehicle without raising suspicion.
During the operation, an explosion occurred near the armoured vehicle, after which an exchange of gunfire broke out between the suspects and responding police officers.
Despite the intensity of the attack, the robbers failed to gain access to the cash van. However, before fleeing the scene, they looted people trapped in their vehicles on the blocked road.
The suspects managed to escape following the shootout, while police launched a search operation to trace those involved in the attempted heist.
No official information was immediately available regarding casualties or arrests, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.