French police say they have found most of the 11.6 million euros stolen from a security vehicle last week but have still not yet managed to apprehend the suspected culprit, 39-year-old Toni Musulin.

The armoured vehicle and Mr Musulin, who worked for the Swedish security firm Loomis, disappeared last Thursday in the central city of Lyon. Mr Musulin allegedly drove off with the cash, which had been collected from a branch of Bank of France, after his two co-workers went inside a company building. The vehicle was later found abandoned. Police are investigating a connection with Serbian or Croatian criminals and believe the suspect has fled the country.

French investigators found packets of cash totalling 9.11 million euros in a lock-up garage not far from where the abandoned security van had been abandoned. The stolen money was new, unregistered bills ranging in value from five euros to 100 euros.

The daring robbery has turned Mr Musulin into an internet star; several Facebook groups have been started and he has been praised for his non-violent heist and for outwitting the authorities.