Armed gang takes €20,000 in raid
The gang made off with most of the night’s bar takings from the popular CityWest Hotel in Saggart, Co Dublin, after closing time.
Two masked raiders armed with handguns forced a female bar manager to open a night safe in a backroom of the hotel shortly after 1.30am.
They removed the contents of the safe, estimated to be around €20,000, before tying the employee up.
However, she was able to free herself within a short period of time and managed to raise the alarm about 15 minutes later. No shots were fired during the incident.
Clondalkin gardaí investigating the incident yesterday appealed for information from any guests or residents who may have been around the hotel area at the time of the robbery.
Detectives are still attempting to find a navy blue Volvo S40 which was seen leaving the premises around the time of the robbery. It is understood the vehicle used by the gang was also fitted with false number plates.
Gardaí hope security cameras may also provide vital clues in tracing the robbers as it is believed the gang would have carried out earlier surveillance of the hotel’s security operations.
Most of the residents in the 330-bedroom, four-star hotel were unaware of the robbery.
The CityWest complex is owned by the millionaire property developer and staunch Fianna Fáil supporter, Jim Mansfield.
Meanwhile, gardaí in Waterford are still searching for another armed gang which stole around €70,000 during a bank robbery on Friday afternoon.
Three masked raiders held up staff at the Bank of Ireland branch in Lismore, Co Waterford, at around 4.15pm.
Although detectives mounted checkpoints on roads around Lismore within minutes of the alarm being raised, the gang is still at large.
Gardaí are also still searching for a wine-coloured Mazda 626 which was used as the getaway car.
