Robbers armed with Kalashnikov rifles raided a Bureau de Change in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon, making off with bags of cash (One lakh Euros) and gold.
Pictures show how the four men, wearing balaclavas over their heads and dressed top to toe in black, held up the shop in the centre of Lyon in France, reports The Daily Mail.
The raid on Saturday happened at around 3.15pm - and it was all the more audacious because the Bureau de Change is right opposite the city's town hall.
The robbers, who witnesses said were armed with Kalashnikovs, could be seen climbing running in and out of the building.
They then grabbed a terrified man and bundled him into the silver Mercedes before making their getaway, as crowds of eyewitnesses looked on.
As they sped off, they fired shots into the air. The loot is thought to have been around 100,000 euros in cash but also included gold.
They are thought to have abandoned the car some hundreds of metres away and set it on fire in a bid to destroy any evidence.
According to reports, the car was registered in Seine-and-Mare and was stolen the day before in Villeurganne.
The hostage was quickly released, sources said, and was then interviewed by police. It is thought the robbers may have been slightly injured as they escaped.
A member of staff at another Global Cash shop in Lyon said: 'The staff are very shocked.' A shop assistant in a neighbouring pharmacy said: 'I didn't see anything but I heard a huge noise.'
She added that there were around 10 police cars at the scene shortly after the raid. Two helicopters also circled overhead shortly after the robbery.
Armed robbers have targeted the centre of Lyon over the past year but have more usually raided jewellers.
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