THE robbery of a passenger jet carried out with military precision on the tarmac of Perpignan airport in southern France has baffled airline officials and police, who said yesterday they had no suspects for the theft.
A gang of between four and seven hooded and heavily armed thieves got away with some four million francs (£490,000) in banknotes being shipped by security firm Brink's France, France 2 television reported.
"It was the work of well informed professionals," said one investigator as the Perpignan public prosecutor, Mr Robert Chelles, urged witnesses to come forward.
State owned Air France group, Brink's and police all declined comment on the size of the robbery which took place on Tuesday.
"Thieves are very creative," said one airline official, shaking her head in wonder after the theft of the high security shipment, which had been stowed in two canvas sacks in a cargo hold.
"Forget stagecoaches. Now people are holding up aeroplanes," one member of the cabin crew said.
The Airbus A 320 carrying 167 passengers and six crew was stopped in broad daylight Just after landing by men armed with pistols and submachineguns.
"It was a holiday flight with lots of children aboard, who were very excited as they could see everything that was going on through the windows," said the head stewardess, Ms Odile Fischer.
"They saw weapons, they saw people with hoods for them it was like a film."
After blocking the aircraft, the gang unfurled a banner reading: "Shut off the engine and open the hold". They then fired several shots at the cockpit. No one was injured, but one bullet was found lodged in the aircraft's nose.
Once the hold was opened, the robbers appeared to know exactly where the banknotes were being stowed. After taking the sacks, they drove off in vans parked nearby. The entire operation took less than four minutes.
The pilot, Mr Vincent Roy, told passengers to remain calm, and cabin crew made them lay down on the floor and stay away from the windows, crew members said.