Terrified family held at gunpoint by raiders

GARDAÍ hunting a gang who held a family at gunpoint before robbing them of cash and taking their bank details were trying to trace the raiders’ getaway vehicle last night.

Gardaí confirmed that a number of new strands of inquiry had opened up following door-to-door inquiries in the Belgooly area of Cork.

However, Inspector Brendan Fogarty said they wanted to hear from people who might have seen a person, or a vehicle, acting suspiciously in the area in the hours before and after the raid.

The gang, who wore balaclavas and blue boiler suits, broke into the Reese family home, Belmont, in Belgooly near Kinsale, about 7am on Sunday morning.

Three raiders who entered the home are believed to have been armed with pistols and leather coshes which are used by some foreign police forces.

They subjected South African-born Mr Reese, in his 50s, his wife who works as a psychologist, and one of their sons, to a terrifying 45-minute ordeal.

They tied the family up, placed a pillow over Ms Reeses’s head, a coat over her son’s head and proceeded to threaten Mr Reese. He was forced to hand over bank details relating to accounts he holds in the Isle of Man.

The gang made off in the family car with a substantial amount of cash, which had been kept in the home, credit cards and a laptop.

But the family managed to raise the alarm and notified the bank of the theft.

The gang abandoned the car about 274 metres away where gardaí believe a getaway vehicle, and possibly a fourth gang member, was waiting.

Insp Fogarty said gardaí wanted to trace the movements of this vehicle.

“We would appeal to members of the public who saw anything suspicious in this area between 6.30am and 8.30am on Sunday to contact us,” he said.

The gang were described as speaking with foreign accents but Insp Fogarty said he could not rule out the possibility that the accents were faked.

The family, who were shaken by the incident, were recovering yesterday.

“We would appeal to people not to have large amounts of cash in their homes and to make appropriate arrangements with their banks or credit unions,” Insp Fogarty said.

Anyone with information should contact gardaí in Bandon on (023) 52200 or Kinsale.