One suspect killed, six arrested in Amsterdam-Noord money truck robbery
Update, 8:45 p.m., 19 May 2021: The suspects were reportedly trying to make off with 50 million euros. One suspect was arrested later on the A16 near Kralingen, and two others may be at large.
A wild armed robbery that started with a shootout at an armored truck stop in Amsterdam-Noord, ended with another shootout in the town of Broek in Waterland eight kilometers north of the city. Police confirmed that one suspect was killed, and six were arrested. Two of them were injured. Authorities did not immediately reveal how the suspect died, nor how the other two were wounded.
It started with the report of a robbery on the Meeuwenlaan in Amsterdam Noord at about 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Witnesses there told media outlets that a Brink's money truck was targeted in the incident. A report of shots fired was called in from near there seconds later from the parking area of a nearby Dirk van der Broek grocery story. One witness, a reporter for EenVandaag, said he saw at least one person firing "what appeared to be an AK-47."
Authorities confirmed that automatic weapons were used in the robbery attempt. While police, paramedics and a trauma team raced to that scene, two vehicles took off at a high rate of speed. During the ensuing chase, multiple shots were fired, according to AT5. One witness told the local broadcaster, "It all went so fast. They drove at least 60, 70 km/h on the bicycle path."
The pursuit led dozens of police vehicles to Broek in Waterland. Officers who first arrived in the town tried to get people off the streets because of the dangerous situation. Images and videos taken by eyewitnesses showed several cars engulfed in flames at an intersection there.
Multiple gunshots were also fired at that location, according to witnesses. A large plume of smoke could be seen rising from the Vogelmeerpolder by 2:40 p.m.
A reporter for NH Nieuws said that several people exiting the vehicles were seen firing guns, but it was not clear if they were shooting at each other, or shooting in random directions. As many as three people then fled into a field. Two police helicopters and a canine unit were used to track down the suspects, with some found hiding in a pasture.
At the time of publication, it was still unclear whether the cars on fire belonged to the people who participated in the shooting.
Police planned to update journalists about what happened later in the afternoon or evening.
