AN armed gang tied hostages to the hoods of their getaway cars and used them as human shields as they escaped from a series of bank robberies.

       Around 50 thugs, armed with machine guns, bombs and drones, are said to have hit every bank in the centre of Aracatuba, southern Brazil, in a series of daring raids today.

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       One hostage can be seen tied to the roof of the car while another is fastened to the bonnet Credit: Newsflash 4

       Another getaway vehicle also has a person tied to the bonnet of the car Credit: Newsflash

       The robbers attacked cops and blocked roads using burned-out cars to stop reinforcements arriving, before they took locals as hostages.

       Shocking footage shows the gang walking lines of hostages through the streets before they were tied to the roofs and bonnets of their cars as they fled the scene.

       The city has now been put on lockdown and cops have warned that bombs have been placed through the streets with locals being warned to remain indoors.

       A photo appears to show a sophisticated bomb left in a street with a proximity sensor attached to it – indicating it will explode should anyone get too close to it.

       Before the bank raids began the gang hijacked and burned at least four cars, using the wrecks to block access to roads.

       The brazen thieves even placed one outside the headquarters of the military police, trapping officers inside.

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       Gang members then moved to the city centre and put a fourth vehicle near a string of banks.

       They then targeted branches of the Banco do Brasil, Banco Safra and Caixa Economica.

       BANKS TARGETED

       It is not known how much cash they managed to take.

       Following the daring raids they started taking hostages at gunpoint and tied them to the outside of their getaway vehicles.

       Bombs were scattered on the roads as they made their escape.

       Local media reports say at least four people were injured in the robberies although no indication of the seriousness of their condition was given.

       One person is said to have been shot while a cyclist was hit by one of the infrared bombs, according to a CNN report.

       While it is not known exactly how many hostages were taken footage shows at least ten people strapped to vehicles.

       In 2017 a similar raid took place in the same city when an armed gang targeted the headquarters of a cash transport company.

       That raid saw the headquarters of the military police surrounded by around 30 men who then fired at the entrance and killed one officer.

       Two trucks were hijacked and burned with the wrecks left along the route to stop police from following.

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       A group of hostages are forced to walk down a street before the gang made their escape Credit: Newsflash 4

       The gang drive off using the hostages as human shields Credit: Newsflash