ATM blown open with gas blast in aborted raid

Criminals blew open an ATM by pumping gas into the dispenser and igniting it, in what is the first raid of its type here.

But the gang had to abandon the attempt with just a small amount of cash when a Garda patrol car arrived at the scene within 40 seconds.

The unarmed gardaí were lucky to escape uninjured after one of the gangsters fired a shot at them, resulting in damage to the windscreen of their marked car.