Van Heist Goes South: A French Cash Snake
The Big Swipe
Adrien Derbez, 27, hopped into his armoured van this Monday morning and took off with a whopping £2.5 million (≈ €3 million) in crisp notes. He was supposed to deliver the cash to a Western Union office in Aubervilliers, but he decided to play a disappearing act instead.
Missing Some Cash
After the van, which was the Loomis security armoured vehicle, was found just a few blocks away with its doors flung open, the bags of cash were mysteriously missing. Half the loot vanished before the police could nab him.
Arrest With Drama
- Derbez was caught in Amiens—about 160 km north of Paris—after he tried to escape by jumping through a window.
- Police burst into the flat where he was crouched and stunned him.
- They also detained the flat’s owner and her brother.
Other Van‑thefts in France
October 2009, a similar crime happened years ago: another driver named Toni Musulin escaped with ≈ €11.6 million from a Bank of France building in Lyon. He managed to hide most of that treasure behind a double‑wall garage. He got a four‑year sentence, served it, and the bank readied a film about the case called “11.6.” Yet, even then, about €2.5 million was still missing.
What the Police Say
Parisian newspapers report that they found a car with some cash, but after counting it carefully, they realized “more than half” of the estimated €3.1 million was still elusive. Police told AFP the funds are still not recovered.
Take‑away
This case shows that even a highly secured delivery van can become a secret vault for thieves. Police and banks are now on high alert, motivated to make sure that every euro goes where it should—no more van‑vanishing acts.
