Two heavily guarded vans carrying jewels have been ambushed at a French motorway toll station by a gang of about 15 thieves who made off with a haul worth about €9 million, according to sources close to the investigation.
The heist took place at about midnight on Tuesday at the Avallon toll booth on the A6 motorway, about 200km southeast of Paris.
The local prosecutor from the city of Auxerre told AFP that no one was hurt in the robbery.
Police have set up a perimeter around the scene with air support in a bid to catch the robbers.
No one was injured in the attack and the drivers of the two vans were left at the scene unharmed.
Police said the vans were found burned in a forest near the site of the attack on the A6 highway connecting Paris and Lyon.
The jewels were not recovered.
Guardian