No one was injured in the robbery, which occurred at 1:50 p.m., but the suspect stole an unknown amount of cash from the Garda armored vehicle before fleeing, Methuen police said. The suspect remained at large last night, said police Lieutenant Kevin J. Martin.

After disarming the guard who was making a delivery at the Big Lots store, the robber forced the guard into the back of the vehicle, Martin said. The robber then got into the front of the vehicle and made a second guard drive around the area for a few minutes, Martin said.

“I’m sure he was in possession of a weapon at that time,’’ Martin said of the robber.

He said the suspect must have gathered the cash while the guard drove. The robber exited the vehicle near the intersection of Jackson and Prospect streets in Methuen. The guards then drove to the Methuen police station to report the robbery.

The armored car had traveled its regular route to Methuen from Needham, Martin said.

“We are cooperating with the authorities . . . and we cannot make any further comment,’’ said Joe Gavaghan, director of corporate communications for Garda.

A spokesman for Big Lots said last night that the company had no comment.

Methuen police are investigating the holdup with the FBI.

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