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Bank robbery at Euro Parliament Euro Parliament robber at large
(about 9 hours later)
An apparently armed man robbed a bank inside the European Parliament building in Brussels on Thursday, after evading the institution's security personnel. Belgian police are hunting for a man who stole about 60,000 euros (£54,000) from a bank in the European Parliament, after brandishing a pistol at staff.
Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot said the man had shown what appeared to be a gun to staff at the ING bank and demanded money, which was handed over. It was not yet known if the pistol was real or fake, parliament spokesman Jaume Duch Guillot told the BBC.
After the robber fled, staff alerted a nearby security patrol. However, he had still not been found by Thursday night. The man demanded money at an ING bank branch on Thursday after evading checks by the parliament's security personnel. The robbery lasted only a few minutes.
Some MEPs and their staff were locked in their offices during the search. The security service is now studying CCTV footage for clues about the man.
Security staff then checked people's bags as they left the building. On Friday, Belgian police said he had taken about 60,000 euros in cash.
Mr Guillot said that if the weapon had been real, it "would pose questions" about security at the EU complex, "notably to know what badge he used to get in". After the robber fled, staff alerted a nearby security patrol.
This is a public and a very open parliament and we prefer still to be a very open parliament Jaume Duch GuillotEuropean Parliament spokesman
Some MEPs and their staff were locked in their offices during the search of the building. Their bags were then checked as they left.
Mr Guillot said that if the robber's weapon had been real, it "would pose questions" about security at the EU complex, "notably to know what badge he used to get in".
However, he noted that the sprawling complex, which occupies several blocks in central Brussels, was visited by 15,000 people a day, making it difficult to maintain foolproof security at all times.However, he noted that the sprawling complex, which occupies several blocks in central Brussels, was visited by 15,000 people a day, making it difficult to maintain foolproof security at all times.
"One hundred percent security never exists but this is a public and a very open parliament and we prefer to still to be a very open parliament," he said. "One hundred percent security never exists, but this is a public and a very open parliament and we prefer still to be a very open parliament," he said.