Heist similar to Northern Bank robbery

THE elaborate kidnap and robbery at Bank of Ireland’s landmark College Green building overlooking Trinity College was similar to the £26.5 million (€29.7m) pre-Christmas heist carried out by the IRA on the Northern Bank’s head office in Belfast in December 2004.

Minutes after the latest robbery, newly appointed Bank of Ireland chief executive Richard Boucher sent an email to all staff expressing sympathy but reminded employees to follow tried and trusted steps to foil tiger kidnaps. Bank staff are told to raise the alarm the moment they are separated from the kidnap gang.

Other Bank of Ireland employees were in the branch as Mr Travers filled bags with cash.

It is understood at least one was aware of the tiger heist but it is believed gardaí were not alerted until after the money left the forecourt — a breach of the bank’s security rules.

Opposition politicians also said the heist raised serious questions about security in banks.

Mr Travers was taken hostage yesterday evening at his girlfriend Stephanie Smith’s dormer bungalow, which she shares with her mother Joan in rural Co Kildare. It is believed the young bank official had also been living there.

Mrs Smith had been out for the evening with her daughter and six-year-old grandson. Detectives believe the raiders struck as the women arrived home at 10pm and Mr Travers lay inside watching television.

The gang threatened Mr Travers and the women before smashing an ornament across Stephanie’s head.

Gardaí believe all four were held at gunpoint through the night before the two women and boy were tied up, bundled into a van at 5.30am and driven 44km along a north Dublin motorway before being abandoned.

An hour later, Mr Travers was ordered into his car, a red Toyota Celica, and heading for the high-profile banking centre. By 7.15am he had left the bank with a car-load of money.

The tiger-kidnap — so-called as raiders stalk their prey before launching an attack when the victim is most vulnerable — came to a head during rush hour in a north Dublin suburb.

Mr Travers met a man at Clontarf railway station and handed over the car keys. The Toyota, registration number 99-D-8856, was later found burnt out a few miles from the drop-off.

Mr Travers walked into Clontarf garda station a few minutes after the drop-off while his girlfriend, her mother and the child managed to free themselves and also raise the alarm in Ashbourne, Co Meath, 22km north of the capital at around 9am.