{"id":903,"date":"2026-02-12T17:56:48","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T17:56:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/?p=903"},"modified":"2026-02-12T17:56:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T17:56:48","slug":"moment-masked-gang-wielding-assault-rifles-blows-doors-off-cash-van-in-brazen-daylight-robbery-on-busy-highway-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/?p=903","title":{"rendered":"Moment masked gang wielding assault rifles blows doors off cash van in brazen daylight robbery on busy highway in Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/c9dadf97858ded5d5a3ff2dc7e1b8fc5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/c9dadf97858ded5d5a3ff2dc7e1b8fc5.png 640w, https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/c9dadf97858ded5d5a3ff2dc7e1b8fc5-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The gang blocked traffic with burning\u00a0cars\u00a0and even opened fire on cops in a brazen daylight assault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mobile phone footage captured the chaotic scenes shortly before 8am on State Road 613, the main artery linking Brindisi and Lecce in southern\u00a0Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An armed cash-in-transit vehicle was ambushed by a commando of between six and ten masked robbers, some posing as&nbsp;police&nbsp;using vehicles fitted with flashing blue lights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To force the van to stop, the attackers positioned a small truck and a van across the carriageway, setting them on fire and creating what witnesses described as a \u201cwall of flames\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traffic was brought to complete standstill as terrified motorists were trapped on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The targeted vehicle belonged to BTV, part of the Battistolli Group, which operates armoured cash\u00a0transport\u00a0services across\u00a0Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the gang closed in, detonated an explosive device on the transporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dramatic footage shows the armoured vehicle being blown into the air, flames and debris billowing across the highway as thick black smoke filled the&nbsp;sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the power of the blast, a foam-based security mechanism was triggered inside the van, ultimately thwarting the robbery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"480\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 464 \/ 480;\" width=\"464\" controls src=\"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7238.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the criminals succeeded in blowing up the vehicle, they were unable to access the cash, according to multiple reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A firefight then erupted as Carabinieri patrols rushed to the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Armed with Kalashnikov rifles and shotguns, the suspects exchanged gunfire with officers, using vehicles for cover as shots rang out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One police car was struck by three bullets, while an unmarked vehicle was rammed during the pursuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Miraculously, no injuries or fatalities were reported among police, security guards or civilians, despite the level of violence and the presence of motorists at the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Footage filmed by drivers shows at least six masked suspects wearing white and black overalls moving between vehicles with weapons in hand, while other motorists looked on in shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Italian media reported that other drivers caught up in the ambush were also robbed as the gang made their escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After abandoning the scene, the suspects fled by stealing cars from passing motorists to break through police roadblocks<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Metal spikes were reportedly scattered across the asphalt to shred the tyres of pursuing vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carabinieri later intercepted an Alfa Romeo travelling at high speed and found it abandoned in the countryside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A man who attempted to flee on foot nearby was arrested, along with another gang member who also tried to escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Authorities confirmed that two suspects are now in custody, while at least two others remain at large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State Road 613 was temporarily closed in both directions between kilometre markers 8.3 and 12.8 near San Pietro Vernotico, in the province of Brindisi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anas diverted traffic onto the former State Road 16 as firefighters cleared the charred wreckage and forensic teams carried out investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The robbery was ultimately unsuccessful, with the gang failing to escape with any cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Italian outlet Sky TG24 reported the suspects are believed to hail from the Foggia area, notorious for producing\u00a0gangs\u00a0specialising in paramilitary-style armoured vehicle robberies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nicola Magno, Puglia regional secretary general of the Un Arma association, said: \u201cOnce again, the Carabinieri found themselves on the front lines of an extremely violent and organized criminal act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe fact that a patrol was hit by gunfire demonstrates the high level of risk to which our officers are exposed on a daily basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"650\" height=\"855\" src=\"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/masked-armed-robbers-blow-cash-1057693062.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-906\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/masked-armed-robbers-blow-cash-1057693062.webp 650w, https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/masked-armed-robbers-blow-cash-1057693062-228x300.webp 228w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is only thanks to the professionalism, composure, and sense of duty of our colleagues that today we are not talking about a tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Authorities have launched a major manhunt, including helicopter surveillance, and warned of heightened police presence and checkpoints across the region as investigations continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shocking moment masked robbers fire MACHINE GUNS at armoured CASH-loaded van in broad daylight\" width=\"735\" height=\"413\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uKUFNYL1WN0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The gang blocked traffic with burning\u00a0cars\u00a0and even opened fire on cops in a brazen daylight assault. Mobile phone footage captured the chaotic scenes shortly before 8am on State Road 613, &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=903"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":907,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/903\/revisions\/907"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.landingliker.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}