Security guard shot in botched robbery of cash-in-transit van

RAIDERS pointed a gun at a security guard’s head before shooting him in the foot in a botched robbery on a cash-in-transit van.

It is the first time in four years that a security guard was deliberately shot and injured by gangs targeting cash-in-transit vans.

The shooting marks a worrying development for the industry and gardaí.

The young security guard underwent surgery last night on his foot at the Mater hospital.

Doctors are understood to be hopeful of saving his foot, but he may be left with a limp.

The guard, in his mid-20s, has worked with Brinks Allied Security for two years and has never missed a day’s work.

The terrifying incident took place when three masked men targeted a Brinks van at Clontarf, in north Dublin, at 7.45am.

The security van was about to service an ATM machine, near the Sheds pub, on the junction of Clontarf Road and Vernon Road.

It is understood the security guard had got to the ATM machine and opened it and was returning to the van when he was pounced on by two of the raiders.

He was brought to the back of the van and told to access the cash through the hatch. The security guard told them he could not as Brinks had changed their system three years ago.

In the new system, cash is no longer held in the vault and placed into a box or bag by a man inside the van and passed out to a colleague on the outside through a hatch.

Instead, the security guards take a large cassette, known as a smokebox, containing the cash from the front of the vehicle and bring it to an ATM.

This box is filled at the company base and not inside the van and guards cannot access the cash. If the box is tampered with a dye explodes inside the box destroying the cash.

Sources said that when the guard explained the situation one of the raiders pointed a gun at his head.

At this stage, the second raider said: “I’ll do it,” pointed the gun at the guard’s foot and fired a shot.

“This is a deliberate shooting and is of huge concern,” said an industry source.

The robbers fled in a car driven by a third accomplice. Garda at Clontarf are asking anyone who was in the area to contact them on 01-6664800.