Bank robbers hijacked car at gunpoint

Two gunmen who robbed a bank crashed their getaway car and hijacked a second vehicle at gunpoint, detectives said today.

Gardaí have warned the public not to approach the armed raiders, who burst in to a bank in west Cork brandishing weapons and made off with cash.

As they left the Bank of Ireland on Market Street, Skibbereen, they crashed their getaway car.

The raiders then fled on foot to a nearby petrol station, where they ordered a woman out of her car at gunpoint.

Investigating officers said the men were armed and dangerous and urged the public to report any sightings of the missing vehicle – a lilac coloured Citroen Xsara, registration 01-D-52470 – to gardaí immediately.

Superintendent Patrick Maher said the men carried a shotgun and air rifle when they robbed the bank at around 11.30am.

“These two men are armed. Do not to approach them,” he said.

“If you spot the car tell the gardaí. We have checkpoints set up around the area now and we would be hopeful of a result.”

Supt Maher said two bank workers were forced to the ground as the money changed hands.

“Thankfully there was nobody injured in this, but as you can imagine the staff here at the bank are traumatised,” he continued.

“The bank will be closed for the rest of the day and we will be doing a forensic examination of the scene and of the car found.”

The pair initially got in to a waiting Audi which was parked outside the bank, registration 01-D-14581, before they crashed.

Gardaí want to hear from anyone who knew the whereabouts of the Audi in the last week or saw it en route to Skibbereen.

“I’m also interested in a car – 01-D-52470 – a lilac coloured Citroen Xsara which was hijacked from a lady nearby after their own car had crashed,” the garda told Today FM.

“I would appeal to the public if anybody sees that car that is still outstanding to contact us.”

The men are said to be Irish men, in their 20s, with one around 5ft 8ins and the second 6ft tall.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Galway are searching for a man robbed a post office in Prospect Hill at 9.10am. The man stole cash and fled the scene on food.

A garda spokeswoman said no one was injured in the robbery.