Garda search nets 2 suspects after raid on post office

GARDAÍ investigating an armed robbery in west Waterford are examining CCTV footage and tracing the owner of the car used in the raid.

The sighting of a getaway jeep led to the arrest of two men on Monday night following a major search operation by gardaí.

It was one of four armed robberies on Monday, across three counties, two in Wicklow and one in Meath.

One man was arrested yesterday by gardaí in relation to at least one of the robberies in Wicklow.

At about 10am on Monday two men, one armed with a handgun and the other with a hammer, held-up a post office in Lismore, Co Waterford.

The staff abandoned the front office and went into a safe room at the back of the building.

The raiders grabbed a bag of envelopes — which they thought held cash, but actually contained receipts — and fled.

They drove a green Maxima car through rural back roads, before setting the car on fire near Ballysaggart.

Gardaí received a sighting of a white van near the scene and the local sergeant co-ordinated a search operation.

This led to gardaí stopping a 4x4 in the Comeragh Mountains near Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and arresting two men.

They were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. Their detention was extended yesterday and they can be held for up to three days.

Garda sources said they were happy with the investigation’s progress.

The suspects, aged in their mid-20s and from Waterford City, are known to gardaí for previous robberies.

Detectives are examining CCTV footage to try and trace the movements of the two vehicles.

Gardaí who arrived at the scene of the burnt out car saw the registration number before it was destroyed. They are now tracing the owner of the car.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Arklow arrested a 25-year-old man in relation to an attempted armed robbery of a post office in the town.

It followed the robbery of another post office in Avoca, Co Wicklow earlier on Monday.

Elsewhere, gardaí are investigating a robbery at a pub in Rathcore, Enfield, Co Meath. The gang fled with €4,000 and their getaway car was found burnt out in Coolock, north Dublin.

Official figures show there was an 8% increase in the number of robberies of an institution or establishment in the last year and a 28% rise in robberies of cash-in-transit vans.