Six Arrested Following 12 Million Euro Armed Raid on Gold Refining Lab in the French Republic

Six armed perpetrators equipped with military-grade weapons detonated charges to force entry into a precious metals processing plant located in Lyon, causing light wounds to five employees during described as the latest high-profile broad daylight robbery to occur in the nation.

The audacious robbery took place on the afternoon of Thursday, with police forces quickly arresting the suspected perpetrators and recovering the stolen goods assessed at around €12 million (£10.5 million), officials reported.

Five staff members of the precious metals facility were slightly hurt due to the explosion, and three of them were transported to hospital for evaluation, the regional prefecture announced. Twenty-eight workers were present on-site when the perpetrators raided.

The suspects, believed to be seasoned offenders, were detained shortly after the incident in the neighboring community of Vénissieux, France, a source close to the investigation stated.

A woman involved who took part in the raid was also apprehended, according to law enforcement.

“Six people who employed explosive devices in an attack on a metals processing plant in Lyon were arrested at the scene,” the nation's interior minister declared on social media, praising officers for their “firmness, rapid response and command”.

High-caliber firearms, handguns and detonation devices were recovered as well.

The robbery occurred as French police on the same day apprehended five additional individuals, among them a key figure, in connection with the bold raid on the Louvre museum.

Numerous detectives have been searching for four perpetrators who used a vehicle equipped with a moving lift and cutting gear to access a gallery on the first floor at the museum on October 19th, escaping with precious items estimated to be worth 88 million euros.

In another notable incident, burglars recently entered illegally the French capital's Natural History Museum, making off with gold samples worth over $1 million. A woman from China, aged 24 was arrested earlier this month in Barcelona in regarding the theft, officials confirmed.

The string of thefts has sparked worry in the country regarding insufficient protection at museums and various establishments holding high-value objects.