Three women targeted in tiger kidnap

Gardaí are hunting two tiger kidnappers who subjected three women to a traumatic ordeal early yesterday.

A third member of the gang, a known drug addict, was captured when their getaway car crashed following a Garda pursuit. Shots were fired by elite detectives at the scene.

The three men, armed and masked, entered the home of a postmistress in Seabury, Malahide, north Dublin, at around 1am.

They abducted the woman, aged in her late 40s, along with her 21-year-old daughter and an Italian student, and took them to Bayside Post Office, 10km away in Sutton.

It is understood the safe in which the money had been kept operated on a time-lock.

The gang members waited in the post office for hours until the safe was released from the lock, at around 8am, and emptied the contents. It was believed there was in the region of €90,000 inside.

The women, traumatised but not physically injured, were released by their captors.

“During the course of the morning, gardaí became aware of the incident and a comprehensive response team was put in place involving both local and national units,” a Garda spokesman said.

This included the elite Emergency Response Unit (ERU), the Garda Air Support Unit and other garda squads.

The gang left in a dark-coloured car which was spotted by gardaí as it left Bayside.

It is thought the gang crashed the car on the Malahide Road at around 8.30am. They ran into the grounds of Malahide Park and surrounding areas in a bid to flee gardaí.

“One man in his early 20s was arrested at the scene and an amount of cash recovered from the car,” a Garda spokesman said. He confirmed “a number of shots were discharged” by gardaí at this scene.

The two other men fled on foot. Both are described as aged in their late 40s or early 50s. One is described as having grey white hair, chubby build, 5ft10 in height. The second man is described as chubby build, dark grey hair, wearing blue runners with a green stripe.

The man arrested is a known drug addict from Swords, who is living in the city centre. He has previous convictions for theft and violent disorder but is not considered to be a leader in the gang. He is being questioned by gardaí.

lAn incident room has been set up at Coolock Garda Station and anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí on 01 6664200, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666111, or any garda station.