Bank agreed to open safe after employee’s family were held hostage

NATIONAL Irish Bank (NIB) agreed to demands to open its safe at its branch in Killester, North Dublin, because of a serious threat to the safety of an employee and his family who were held hostage by a gang, it emerged yesterday.

Suspicion grew yesterday that the criminals who made off with up to €300,000 may have had crucial inside knowledge regarding a bank’s security procedures.

The bank also acceded to demands from the gang not to notify gardaí. Senior officers are understood to be angry they weren’t informed.