Bank officials ‘soft targets’, says workers organisation

Bank staff need extra security measures to be introduced to protect them from gangs who regard them as soft targets, according to Larry Broderick, the general secretary of the Irish Bank Officials’ Association.

The plea came in the wake of the raid on a branch of the National Irish Bank (NIB) in Dublin, in which a family of four were held hostage.

Mr Broderick called on the financial institutions and the gardaí to carry out a review of security measures for bank officials following the robbery of a large amount of cash from the Killester branch of NIB in north Dublin.

The bank did not disclose how much was taken but it’s estimated to be between €100,000 and €200,000.

What is needed now is a strong message from the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell that security for bank staff will be a top priority, he said.

The 12-hour hostage drama began for the Dunne family at 9.45pm on Monday night, when armed raiders broke into the family home in Baldoyle.

Graham Dunne, 23, and his teenage sister, were taken by the gang and he was forced to open a safe at the NIB branch.

Meanwhile, his mother and another teenager sister were held hostage by the gang near Balgriffin Cemetery, while the money was handed over.

Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.