A brazen daylight robbery targeting a Brinks armored truck occurred Monday in Puente Alto, Chile, resulting in the theft of approximately $150 million Chilean pesos (roughly $165,000 USD). The incident underscores the ongoing challenges of security for cash-in-transit operations in the region.
According to police reports, authorities interviewed a private security guard employed by Brinks, a Chilean national with no prior criminal record. The guard recounted that he and a colleague were transporting the daily earnings from Line 4 of the Santiago Metro – the Vicuña Mackenna-Plaza Puente Alto route – when they were blocked by a vehicle on Domingo Tocornal Street, near the Colegio Tupahue school.
Two individuals exited a van and approached the armored truck, brandishing a firearm and intimidating the security guard. They then boarded the truck and made off with the cash, along with a bulletproof vest. No shots were fired during the robbery, though the guard’s colleague sustained a head injury after being struck with the weapon.
The perpetrators fled the scene with the stolen funds and equipment and remain at large as of Monday afternoon.
Investigators Examine Evidence Following Armored Truck Robbery in Puente Alto
Subprefect Daniel León Fuentes, head of the Biro Sur investigative unit, stated that the suspects were wearing masks and used a van with characteristics similar to the Brinks armored truck.
“The victims reported not noticing they were being followed prior to the incident,” León Fuentes said. “Though, we are investigating surveillance camera footage, the route taken by the truck, and the locations where the vehicle was positioned.” Investigators are also utilizing criminal analysis and geolocation data to track the suspects’ vehicle.
León Fuentes added that the suspects detained the victims “with the intention of appropriating the stolen money.”
Fiscal Juan Cheuquiante, chief prosecutor for the Fiscalía Sur, confirmed that the investigation is focused on a robbery committed with violence and intimidation, which occurred around 2:30 PM on Monday. You can find more information about the Fiscalía Sur on X.
Cheuquiante explained that the thieves made off with cash containers, transferring the stolen money to their van before abandoning the victims at the scene. The vehicle used in the assault has not yet been identified.
The prosecutor clarified that, despite being employees of the armored transport company, the victims were not armed. The route and trajectory of the vehicles involved remain under investigation.
