Raiders steal €5,000 from post office

ARMED raiders got away with an estimated €5,000 cash in a post office raid in south Dublin yesterday.

But the four-man gang missed a bigger haul, even though they struck at around the time a cash-in-transit van made a substantial delivery.

Gardaí at Rathfarnham are appealing for witnesses to the robbery at Nutgrove Shopping Centre just before midday.

No one was injured and no shots were fired in the incident, although staff and customers were at the scene when the robbery took place.

A garda spokesman said the four males involved in the robbery arrived in a blue Ford Focus car with ‘06 registration plates.

At least one of the three raiders who entered the post office was armed with a handgun, and they also used a getaway driver.

The gang wore fluorescent builder-type jackets with hoods and the jackets pulled around their faces, gardaí said.

The getaway car was found abandoned a short distance away.

A van was found burned out near the raid scene at Nutgrove, but it is not yet known if this was involved in the robbery.

Gardaí have appealed for information on the latest raid to contact Rathfarnham Station on 01-666 6500, the garda confidential line on 1800-666 111 or any garda station.

Last November two gangs kidnapped senior staff in north Dublin as they prepared to rob post offices.

One gang broke into postmistress Betty Corrigan’s home and kidnapped her husband and son with plans to hold them until she opened her Finglas post office. They were saved when the gang fled after their van broke down.

In the second incident, post office manager Mary Noone, 62, was kidnapped and forced to hand over the keys to North Strand Post Office. She escaped when one of the gang fell asleep.