Armed post office robbery in Clane

Two masked raiders armed with a handgun smashed their way into a post office today and fled with cash.

The raid happened at the post office attached to the Londis shop on Main Street, Clane, Co Kildare, shortly before 11am.

Gardaí said the men, who wore dark clothing and had their faces covered by balaclavas, got behind the security glass by breaking the roof adjacent to the counter and climbing over the panel.

One of the men was armed with what is believed to be a handgun.

No shots were fired during the robbery and staff and customers in the shop escaped without injury.

The men fled with less than €3,000 and got into a stolen red BMW car – 00 D registration – which was parked in the laneway beside the shop.

A third man is suspected to have been the driver of the car, which left via the Outer Ring Road.

Gardaí said the getaway car was taken during a burglary in Churchfield, Clane, four hours earlier.

It was found abandoned in Abbeylands a short time later, where it is believed the three men may have transferred to a black Volkswagen Passat.

Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information on the robbery, the raiders, or where the car was stolen or abandoned, to come forward.

One of the raiders is described as being 6ft 1in tall, while the second was slightly shorter.