The incident occurred on a highway in Southern Italy on Monday, Feb. 9

Armored security van belonging to Gruppo Battistolli (BTV) parked on a city street.Credit : Alamy

At least eight armed suspects are believed to have been involved in an explosive heist on a highway in Southern Italy.

On Monday, Feb. 9, a group of masked robbers armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles targeted an armoured van on the 613 highway between Lecce and Brindisi in Puglia, southern Italy, U.K. newspaper The Times reported. Having blown off the vehicle’s doors, the suspects emerged from nearby parked cars to unload items from the van before speeding away from police.

The incident has been likened to the 1969 hit crime movie The Italian Job, which featured robbers trying to steal gold from the streets of the Italian city of Turin by creating a traffic jam, per IMDb. As noted by The Times, the suspects wore disguises to go unnoticed amid the explosive scene.

The van that was targeted belonged to the BTV company, Battistolli, per the Metro and Italian news outlet L’Unione Sarda.

“The money transported in the armoured van was not stolen because after the explosion, the system’s Spumablock [a security system activated by remote control] came into action,” said Colonel Cristian Marello, head of the Carabinieri’s [similar to Italian police] Lecce division, according to The Times.

An Italian State Police van is positioned during a public demonstration in Bari, Italy, on September 22, 2025.Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto via Getty

A now-viral video shared on X appears to show that the van was brought to a stop by vehicles blocking the road. Having detonated an explosive on the back of the van, some of the suspects attempted to unload items while others fired at police.

At least one unmarked vehicle involved in the heist had removable flashing lights, which are believed to have been used to disguise the suspects as police officers, The Times reported.

Guido Crosetto, the defense minister, confirmed to the outlet that no real police officers or civilians were injured during the incident.

“It is a result that demonstrates professionalism, composure, operational effectiveness and absolute dedication to serving the institutions,” said Crosetto, per The Times.

Cerano and San Pietro Vernotico State Road 613.Google Maps

The Alfa Romeo vehicle used in the heist was abandoned in a field shortly afterwards, and two of the suspects were also arrested, the Metro reported.

A 38-year-old and a 61-year-old from Foggia have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, aggravated robbery, carrying war weapons and explosives, and resisting public officials, according to The Times.

“The search for the other accomplices continues,” Marello told the outlet. “We believe eight people participated in the assault.”

Carabinieri officials did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further comment on Tuesday, Feb. 10.