Girl, 17, held for Paris bank raid

An audacious raid on a Paris bank by a gang led by a blonde, gun-toting teenage girl was foiled when her henchmen "mucked things up", French police said today.

The well-dressed 17-year-old, who has previous convictions for threatening behaviour and criminal damage, pulled a gun after charming her way into the high security area of a Fortis bank branch in central Paris.

She ordered security guards to allow her two equally youthful accomplices — one of whom has a record of 41 previous offences — through armoured doors, where they planned to fill bags with money.

But all three 17-year-olds are in custody after the raid went wrong. "The young girl carried out her honey trap role to perfection, but the two boys with her mucked things up," said a police spokesman. Once inside the bank they failed to realise that an alarm button had been pressed and police were on their way.

The spokesman said: "Within minutes the bank was surrounded by armed officers and a helicopter was circling overhead.

"The young woman was wearing summer white and looked as though she was on her way on a shopping trip.

"Security guards thought she was charming and very beautiful. When she pulled out a handgun they couldn't believe it."

When police arrived the trio escaped through an emergency exit but were easily caught.