Masked Gang Ambushes Armoured Cash Van in Italy Shootout

Four masked robbers launched a dramatic ambush on an armoured cash van in southern Italy, blocking a highway and engaging in a shootout with police.

The attack took place on the state road linking Lecce and Brindisi in the Puglia region. The armed gang posed as law enforcement officers, using fake police cars fitted with blue flashing lights. To halt traffic and trap the target vehicle, they blocked the road with cars and a van, then detonated two vehicles in an apparent bid to intimidate the driver into stopping.

The robbers also used explosives to blow open the cash van's doors in an attempt to access its contents. It remains unclear whether they succeeded in stealing any money. Dressed in balaclavas and armed with submachine guns, they opened fire on arriving Carabinieri officers after receiving reports of the incident.

The gang fled the scene within minutes. Police later tracked down and arrested two suspects, while the others remain at large.

No further details have emerged on the amount of cash involved or the extent of any injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the sophisticated operation.