Paris Primark: Gunmen hold up store in suspected armed robbery in suburb of Villeneuve-la-Garenne
Gunmen have held up a Primark store in the suburbs of Paris in a suspected armed robbery, with several people reportedly held hostage.
The Primark store is located in the Qwartz shopping centre in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, an area to the north of the centre of Paris.
Further reports say around 18 people have been evacuated from the shopping centre after initial reports in French media suggesting there were 10 people being held hostage in the incident.
Police sources told Le Parisien, "18 people have been evacuated by 10.30am [9.30am BST], one of them fell ill, but there are no injuries," adding that police were continuing to search for the three suspects.
"Around 6.30am, three gunmen entered the Primark store for what is believed to be a robbery attempt," they told French media. Another source told the newspaper a member of staff employed at the store sent a text message to her boyfriend saying she was being held hostage by two armed men.
Police special forces are at the scene.
French President Francois Hollande raised the country's terror threat level to its highest point following a suspected terror attack at a factory near Lyon at the end of June, putting the country on high alert. Police are not thought to be treating the attempted robbery as terror related.
The Qwartz shopping centre in Villeneuve-la-Garenne on Google Streetview, and on Google maps below