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A gang of armed robbers seized around 25 hostages at a bank in Naples on Thursday before evading capture by fleeing through a hole cut in the floor of the building.<\/p>\n
The robbery took place in broad daylight at a branch of the Cr\u00e9dit Agricole bank in Piazza Medaglie d’Oro in the Arenella quarter of the southern Italian city.<\/p>\n
Shortly after midday, at least three individuals, their faces concealed by helmets and celebrity actor masks, burst into the branch armed with weapons.<\/p>\n
One arrived by motorcycle, while an Alfa Romeo with a counterfeit number plate, believed to have been intended as a getaway vehicle, was found outside.<\/p>\n
The men entered the bank at around\u00a0midday and took control of the premises while staff and customers were inside.<\/p>\n
Officers surrounded the branch and began efforts to secure the release of those held, as specialist anti-terrorism Carabinieri officers arrived on the scene after being flown in urgently from Tuscany.<\/p>\n
Carabinieri secured the surrounding area and, with the assistance of firefighters, used a battering ram to breach the glass entrance of the bank.<\/p>\n
Helicopters circled overhead and specialist units searched adjacent buildings and the underground infrastructure of the area.<\/p>\n
Momenti di tensione questa sera all\u2019esterno dell\u2019istituto di credito rapinato nel pomeriggio in piazza Medaglie d\u2019Oro. Dai primi accertamenti sarebbero state trafugate circa 300 cassette di sicurezza. I titolari si sono accalcati all\u2019esterno della banca per avere risposte. pic.twitter.com\/gUWayAUtA6<\/a><\/p>\n