On the run

It is being called the "heist of the century".

Last week, 39-year-old security driver Toni Musulin drove off with 11.6 million euros (17.2 million dollars) collected from the Lyon branch of France's central bank. He made his getaway as his two colleagues from the security firm Loomis went inside the company's building. The armoured van was later recovered - but the 49 sacks of cash were gone.

French police now say they have found more than 9 million euros of the stolen money in a rental car parked in a garage in Lyon. But they still haven't caught Musulin, whose apparent double life has captivated France and made him an overnight Internet sensation.

The French national, with Serbian roots, lived a seemingly modest and quiet life. He rode a bike to work, lived in a rundown building, and often complained about his paltry salary. If he did drive, it was in an old Peugeot 406. And yet, he had a Ferrari stowed in the garage and a total of around 100,000 euros (149,000 dollars) in a dozen bank accounts.

A colleague of Toni's said he recalled him warning that one day "the bosses are going to pay".

On the Internet, numerous Facebook tribute sites to Musulin have sprung up.

"Hey Toni, have you got room in your van?" asks one. Another sells t-shirts with slogans such as "The World is Yours: Tony Best Driver 2009" and "I love my job". Another said he was a "hero" for his "no guns, no violence" approach.

But it wasn't quite the perfect crime as media commentators had previously thought.

Lyon police chief, Claude Catto, said Musulin was "organized, he had planned his escape, but he apparently didn't take all the (necessary) precautions" .

The garage where police found most of the money had been rented by Musulin under a false name until December, meaning he had probably planned to return for the rest of the stash.

"He is still on the run with more than 2 million euros," Prosecutor Xavier Richaud told reporters. Police suspect that he is now abroad, perhaps in eastern Europe.

If Musulin is found, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, since he did not use violence to obtain the money.

vj/AFP/Reuters/dpa

Editor: Susan Houlton