Gunmen raid Mexican mint headquarters, loot open vault

Security personnel guard the front door of a building that houses the federal mint’s headquarters in Mexico City, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019. Mexican authorities say gunmen raided the federal mint’s headquarters and took items from a vault. An official says the gunmen got away with gold coins, commemorative watches and other valuables. He didn’t put a value on the loss, but local media say the stolen items are worth up to 50 million pesos ($2.5 million). (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

MEXICO CITY — Gunmen raided the federal mint’s headquarters in Mexico City and looted valuable items from a vault Tuesday, authorities said.

City Public Security Secretary Jesús Orta Martínez told news station Telediario that three armed men disarmed security guards at the offices and “went straight to the vault, which was open.”

The official said the gunmen got away with gold coins, commemorative watches, and other valuables. He didn’t put a value on the loss, but local media said the stolen items were worth up to 50 million pesos ($2.5 million).

Mexico’s old 50-peso gold coins were first minted in 1921 to commemorate the first 100 years of independence and are now bought and sold by investors as their value fluctuates.

Authorities said they had security footage showing the robbers. /kga