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France siege: Armed men attack shopping centre near Paris France Primark siege: Police hunt armed attackers
(about 1 hour later)
Eighteen people have been evacuated from a shopping centre north of Paris, after up to three armed men entered the building early on Monday. French police are hunting for three armed men who stormed a Primark store in an suspected robbery attempt north of Paris.
A police source said they had been hiding in a canteen in the Qwartz centre in Villeneuve-la-Garenne. The gunmen fled the scene after special forces evacuated 18 people trapped inside the Qwartz shopping centre in Villeneuve-la-Garenne.
It was unclear whether anyone else was still trapped in the centre or whether any hostages had been taken. None of those released 18 people was injured. The area around the shopping centre has been shut down.
Police told the BBC the incident appeared to be an armed robbery, not a terrorist attack. The incident began early on Monday and lasted several hours.
"At around 06:30 (04:30 GMT), two or three armed criminals went into the Primark store for what we think was initially an attempt at armed robbery," a police source, who wished to remain anonymous, is quoted as saying by AFP news agency. "At around 06:30 (04:30 GMT), three armed criminals went into the Primark store for what we think was initially an attempt at armed robbery," a police source, who wished to remain anonymous, is quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
Traffic in the area was stopped and all other shops nearby were closed.
Another police source said an employee first alerted her boyfriend of the hold-up at around 07:00 when she sent him a text message saying they had been taken hostage by two armed men.Another police source said an employee first alerted her boyfriend of the hold-up at around 07:00 when she sent him a text message saying they had been taken hostage by two armed men.
Le Parisien website said three men were involved, adding that one may have been recognised as a Primark employee. There are reports that one of the men has been recognised as a Primark employee, but there has been no confirmation from police.