Gardaí were today hunting a short man in his 50s as part of their investigation into a well-planned “tiger” bank robbery in north Dublin.

A garda manhunt continues tonight for an armed gang who held a male bank worker’s family hostage in a field before forcing him to deliver them cash.

Gardaí are continuing to investigate the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old mother at a birthday party in Dublin’s Coolock, a coroner’s court heard today.

A CRACK garda unit yesterday searched nine homes associated with criminals involved in a violent feud in south-west Dublin.

INDIVIDUALS linked to organised crime gangs are likely to be targeted and offered protection to turn State’s witness as a new garda task force was announced yesterday following the 18th gangland- related killing this year.