Three detained following wild manhunt across Belgium

Belgian police have detained three men following a wild chase across northern Belgium after police officers came under fire from a man with a Kalashnikov rifle. The suspects are wanted in connection with a ram raid in the Netherlands.

The three gangsters are believed to have carried out a ram raid on a Dutch bank at 4 AM in the morning on Monday. Rudy Remijsen of Turnhout police takes up the story: "The ram raiders sped off in a fast car heading for the Belgian border. Dutch police were hot on their heels. Belgian police continued the chase in Brasschaat."

Police laid out spike strips on the E34 motorway as the gangsters headed for Turnhout. The suspects were forced to leave their vehicle by the wayside and continue on foot.

The gangsters fired at both Belgian and Dutch police with their Kalashnikov. Police returned fire, but nobody was injured. Special police units were deployed by helicopter allowing all three suspects to be detained but not before the motorway was closed and local residents were instructed to stay indoors for their own safety.
 

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