€800k diamond raid in hotel room
The salesman had travelled from Southampton in England carrying a suitcase full of jewellery worth £700,000, or around €810,000.
It is understood the 64-year-old man was on a business trip and was visiting a number of jewellers to sell the diamonds.
He was staying in the Travelodge Hotel in Ballymun, although it’s not clear how long he was there.
Gardaí said three men forced their way into the man’s room just after midnight on Thursday and carried out an aggravated burglary
“The men were armed with was is believed to be a hammer and a firearm. They assaulted the room’s occupant and stole a suitcase containing a substantial quantity of jewellery,” said a Garda spokesman. The businessman chased the men through the hotel onto the Shangan Road in Ballymun. The robbers turned on him and hit him a number of times, inflicting serious injuries to head and body.
The man made his way back to the hotel and got staff to alert gardaí, who arrived within minutes.
The man had to be taken to the Mater Hospital for treatment, depriving gardaí of an immediate opportunity to speak to him and get a description of the attackers.
The man was released yesterday afternoon and gardaí later released descriptions of the three men.
The first man is described as 5ft 9in tall and of thin build. He was wearing a grey tracksuit top. The second wore a black and white top with a zigzag design.
The third man is described as 6ft tall and of thin build and he appears to have been in charge. All three wore black balaclavas.
Gardaí are examining CCTV footage from the hotel and neighbouring areas.
Detectives are trying to piece together how the raiders knew of the businessman, his exact movements and that he was carrying a substantial quantity of jewellery.
“We want to establish how they had come to know the movements of the businessman. They knew exactly which room to pick; they knew he was carrying luggage with valuables inside,” said a Garda source.
Detectives will speak to staff in the hotel and business people who had contact with the man to try and build up a picture of who could have known of his movements.
Gardaí said it was not unusual for jewellery salesmen to operate like this: “I know it’s hard to believe that he would be carrying around such valuables, but this is a normal part of commercial life for these type of business people. You would expect the most basic crime prevention techniques.”
- Gardaí in Ballymun have appealed to people with information to contact 01 666 4400 or the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.
