Police in Sao Paulo state shot and killed 11 assailants who were preparing to blow up automated bank teller machines simultaneously at two branches early on Thursday, authorities said. Sao Paulo state’s Public Security Secretariat said in a statement that about 25 suspects were involved in the attempts to blow up the machines to get the cash inside, a common crime in Brazil. Along with the 11 killed, another two men were arrested. No money was stolen. One of the banks was located next to a police station. “These criminals were prepared for war,” said Alvaro Batista Camilo, head of Sao Paulo state’s police force. The would-be robbers drove up to the banks in five armoured cars and were armed with high-caliber rifles and body armour, authorities said. Police arrived at the banks and confronted the assailants, who fled and led police on a rolling shootout through the city of Guararema, located about 60 kilometres (37 miles) east of central metropolitan Sao Paulo.