Robbers blew up a bullion van along State Road 613 in the Puglia region in the South of Italy, where masked gunmen armed with Kalashnikov rifles shut down the road in front of shocked motorist

Heavily-armed robbers block Italian highway and blow up armoured van before firefight with police and car chase on Monday morning, between the small towns of Cerano and San Pietro Vernotico

Gang set up ambush by setting a truck on fire to block the road, using vehicles with flashing strobe lights to impersonate police, they moved in on the armoured van 

Clips filmed by motorists show at least six masked suspects, some wearing white overalls and carrying weapons, moving between vehicles

Targeted bullion vane belonged to Battistolli, which operates armoured cash transport services across Italy, but other drivers caught up in the ambush were also robbed

Cops responding to reports of an Alfa Romeo traveling at high speed, found the getaway car abandoned in the countryside, arresting two of the men who tried to escape on foot nearby

The robbers grabbed cash which according to initial estimates is a ‘significant haul,’ although the exact figure is still being verified by the security company

Heavily-armed robbers posing as police blocked a highway in Puglia, southern Italy. To set up the ambush, the gang blocked the road by setting a truck on fire, then using vehicles with flashing strobe lights to impersonate police to move in on the bullion van 

Heavily-armed robbers posing as police blocked an Italian highway and blew up an armoured van during a brazen cash-in-transit grab in southern Italy, before exchanging gunfire with police.
The raid was staged on Monday morning in Puglia region, along on State Road 613, the main highway connecting Brindisi and Lecce in southern Italy, near the town of Tuturano.
The gang used multiple stolen vehicles to block both directions of the highway. Positioned a lorry across the carriageway, set it on fire which brought traffic to a halt.
The torched vehicle, created a “wall of flames” that prevented both civilian traffic and police patrols from approaching the scene.
Impersonating police using vehicle with flashing strobe lights, they moved in on the isolated bullion van
The robbers deployed military-grade explosives to blow open the rear doors and bypass the van’s reinforced safe.

Ambush unfolded between the small towns of Cerano and San Pietro Vernotico. The gang blew up a bullion van. Dramatic footage shows the bandits dressed in jumpsuits , some black, others white, crouching behind a car as the armoured vehicle explodes on the blocked the road

Viral footage of the incident was shared widely on social media, by stunned motorists show a large cloud of black smoke from the back of the van. Dramatic footage shows the bandits crouching behind a car as the armoured vehicle explodes on the road, with flames and debris billowing into the air.
The thieves armed with Kalashnikov rifles and shotguns fired multiple rounds, to intimidate the guards and keep rescue efforts at bay.
The clips filmed by motorists show at least six masked suspects, some wearing white overalls and carrying weapons, moving between vehicles as terrified drivers looked on. 
The targeted bullion van belonging to Battistolli, which operates armoured cash transport services across Italy as reported was carrying a ‘significant amount of cash.’
Local media reports that other motorists caught up in the ambush, were forced to hand over their keys as their vehicles were turned into getaway cars by the criminals.

Other clips filmed by motorists show at least six masked suspects, some wearing white overalls and carrying weapons, moving between vehicles as terrified motorists looked on

After grabbing the cash, which according to initial estimates is a significant haul, although the exact figure is still being verified by the security company, the gang fled in high-powered vehicles toward the town of Squinzano in the province of Lecce.
Police immediately launched a major manhunt, including helicopter surveillance, but the group appears to have vanished into the rural back roads of the Salento area.
During the high speed chase with the Carabinieri, a police car was hit by three gunshots and an unmarked vehicle was rammed.
The fleeing robbers also tried to impede the chase by officers, scattering metal spikes across the asphalt deigned to shred the tires of pursuing vehicles.
Officers responding to reports of a car traveling at high speed later found the Alfa Romeo abandoned in the countryside. Police reportedly arrested a man who tried to escape on foot nearby. He was detained along with another gang member who also attempting to flee on foot.
No fatalities have been reported among law enforcement and bystanders.

The gang blocked the highway by positioning a lorry across it and then setting it on fire, creating a wall of flames that forced traffic to a halt

The robbery ultimately, was unsuccessful, as the gang did not escape with any cash. After a high speed chase, cops responding found the getaway vehicle, an Alfa Romeo abandoned in the countryside. They arrested two of the men nearby, attempting to escape on foot

Authorities confirmed no one was injured and said police are hunting at least two more suspects, with other gang members car-jacking passing motorists to aid their escape.
The attack follows a string of similar high-profile robberies on Italian highways in recent months.
On December 1, 2025, robbers made off with 2 million Euros in a heist that was staged inside a tunnel in Calabria.
Days later on January 5, 2026, robbers struck again. They grabbed a 400,000 Euros on the A14 in Abruzzo near Ortona.
Authorities in Southern Italy said the latest heist is likely the work of specialized paramilitary-style gangs, likely originating from the Foggia or Puglia regions, which have a long history of “assalto al portavalori” [armoured car assaults].