A branch of multinational bank HSBC in the New Cairo district of the capital was robbed by unidentified gunmen on Monday morning.
According to eyewitnesses, seven men armed with automatic weapons are said to have entered the bank and threatened customers and staff before seizing large amounts of cash.
The men, who wore chequered headscarves, fled the crime scene in a black SUV. No injuries were reported.
The exact amount stolen has yet to be confirmed, but some local media reports put it at several million Egyptian pounds.
A Twitter hashtag – #Hsbc – is currently being used by Egyptians to share news about the incident, along with jokes and anecdotes about their personal experiences with the UK-based bank.
Egyptian authorities are reportedly looking for the culprits with some unconfirmed reports claiming they have already been captured.
New Cairo is a high-income residential area on the outskirts of the capital. The area, known for its lavish residential compounds, also hosts the campuses of the American and German universities.
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