Search on after armed robbery of post office

Gardaí in Kerry are appealing to the public for information after an armed robbery by masked men at Tarbert Post Office, a village on the Shannon estuary, north of Listowel.

The incident reportedly involved a number of men who arrived in a car which was later abandoned.

Four men in a black Mitsubishi Colt, it emerged, had pulled up outside the post office shortly after 4pm on Monday. The car was later found burnt out.

Two men, one armed with a pistol, the other with a baseball bat, entered the premises while one man stood guard outside.

Two staff members were present at the time. No customers were present. However, it was a very frightening experience for the staff, Chief Superintendent Pat Sullivan said.

According to gardaí, the men stole a sum of money and a short time later the burnt-out car was discovered on the road to Glin, Co Limerick.

Supt Sullivan said investigations were at an early stage but it appeared the men had local accents.

All four wore balaclavas and boiler suits. One of the men that entered the post office was over 6ft tall.

“Within fifteen minutes the car was found burnt out,” Supt Sullivan said.

“We would appeal to anybody who was in the Tarbert area or on the Glin road that would have seen this vehicle, a black Miisubishi car, to contact gardaí in Listowel or at any Garda station.”