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France Presse: Hostage-taker in France’s Montpelier surrenders to police

The French law enforces said the Montpelier hostage-taking was a purely criminal incident and had no relation to the series of terrorist attacks in Paris

© EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

PARIS, January 10. /TASS/. A gunman who seized two hostages in a jewelry boutique in the French city of Montpelier has surrendered to the police after several hours of negotiations, France Presse said on Saturday. The hostages have not been hurt.

The French law enforces said the Montpelier hostage-taking was a purely criminal incident and had no relation to the series of terrorist attacks in Paris

The robber broke into the jewelry boutique in Montpelier in southern France shortly before its closing hour. There were two women - an employee and the wife of the boutique’s owner - inside. When the robber lost control of the situation, he took the two women hostage and blocked inside the shop.

The incident stirred panicky moods in locals after a series of terrorist attacks in France in the past three days, which claimed the lives of 17 people.

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