AN ARMED and masked gang escaped with about €200,000 from a post office after the postmaster's wife and two children were held hostage. The north Dublin raid was the second such hostage-taking robbery in less than a week.
The latest robbery unfolded from 8am onwards yesterday when the gang, at least one of whom was armed with a handgun, called to a house in Sutton where the postmaster lives.
The four-man gang took the postmaster's wife and two teenage daughters from the house. The postmaster was told to go to work as usual and to take a large sum of money from the safe after a cash delivery yesterday morning.
He was told his wife and children would only be released when the money was handed over to other gang members.
He took about €200,000 from the safe after the cash was delivered for Christmas lone-parent payments.
The money was taken by the gang. His wife and two children were released from a vacant house where they were being held at Old Portmarnock Road, Portmarnock.
Supt Dave Dowling said the investigating team had sealed off four crime scenes.
The family's home at Verbena Avenue was examined yesterday by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. Examinations were also carried out at Edenmore Post Office and the location on the back road near Portmarnock where the three family members were released.
Gardaí have also identified a fourth site at Dunsink Lane, Finglas. They believe the white 05 KE-registered van used in the robbery is the same vehicle subsequently found at Dunsink Lane.
Supt Dowling said while the family were not physically harmed during the three-hour ordeal, they were shocked by their experience.
"The victims are very traumatised - as anybody would be - but they are okay," he said.
Supt Dowling appealed for anybody who saw the white van between 8am and 11.30am at any of the four crime scenes to contact gardaí. He said other vehicles may have been seen parked at the four locations.
Gardaí are also anxious to speak to anyone who may have seen anybody loitering in the Verbena estate in recent days.
Gardaí believe the postmaster and his family were most likely under surveillance at their home and that the postmaster's movements at his place of work were also monitored by the gang. The gang behind the raid also appeared to have knowledge of the time of the cash delivery to Edenmore yesterday.
Supt Dowling said Bayside National School is close to the family's home and he has urged any parents leaving children to school there yesterday to contact gardaí.
Gardaí in Raheny are leading the investigation and can be contacted at 01-6664300.
The raid was the second so-called "tiger" (kidnapping) robbery in less than a week. Last Sunday, the family of a bookmaker was held hostage at their home in Moate, Co Westmeath. A total of €10,000 and a legally held firearm were stolen.
Yesterday's raid is the latest robbery targeting the families of people who work in post offices, banks and the cash-in-transit industry.