Armed raid at Dublin post office

Workers and customers at a Dublin post office were left terrified today after an armed gang held up the premises.

Three men, including at least one armed with a handgun, entered the post office at Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Rathfarnham, south Dublin shortly before midday.

As the hold-up took place, the getaway driver remained outside in a blue Ford Focus car with '06 registration plates.

A garda spokesman said there were staff and customers present in the post office but the raiders fired no shots and no-one was physically injured in the incident.

The four men were described as wearing fluorescent builder-type jackets with hoods. The raiders wore the jackets pulled up around their faces to conceal their identities.

Gardaí said the men made their getaway with a sum of money, believed to be in the region of several thousand euro.

Detectives discovered the Ford Focus car abandoned a short distance away at Hermitage Lawns and believe the raiders switched to another vehicle at this point.

A van was also found burned out near Nutgrove Shopping Centre but it is uncertain as to whether this was used in the robbery.

Detectives at Rathfarnham Station probing the robbery appealed to any witnesses to the incident to contact them.

Gardaí are looking to speak with anyone who may have seen the four men arrive at the shopping centre or abandoning their car and switching to another vehicle near Hermitage Lawns.