Armed raider carries out two robberies in Cork

Gardaí have appealed for assistance in trying to catch a raider they believe was behind two armed robberies in filling stations in Cork city and county over the weekend.

Detectives in Bishopstown have begun an investigation after a lone raider armed with a handgun held up a staff member at the Amber filing station on the Bandon Road at 4.45am on Saturday.

The man, who was wearing a balaclava, threatened a staff member at the all-night filling station at gunpoint when he came to serve him at the hatch and the raider made off with a few hundred euros

The man, who gardaí believe was in his late 30s or early 40s and was described as tall, fled on foot but detectives believe he may have then driven off in a getaway car he had hidden nearby.

Garda technical experts carried out a forensic examination of the area of the filling station where the raider had threatened the staff member and are examining CCTV footage from the business.

Gardaí in Mallow are investigating a separate robbery at a filling station on the outskirts of the town. It is believed the raid is linked to the Bandon Road robbery near Bishopstown.

A lone raider wearing a balaclava and armed with a handgun walked into the Topaz garage on the Limerick Road in Mallow around 1am on Saturday and threatened the staff member on duty.

It’s understood that the man fled with under €200 and escaped on foot but gardaí again believe that he then drove off in a getaway car which he may have hidden near the filling station.

No shots were fired in either robbery and no one was injured but it’s understood that the staff members on duty in both premises were shaken by their ordeals at the hand of the lone raider.

Anyone who saw any suspicious activity on the Bandon Road in Bishopstown or can help investigating gardaí is asked to contact Bishopstown Garda station on 021-4541012

Gardaí in Mallow have appealed to anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity on the Limerick Road in the town early on Saturday to contact Mallow Garda station on 022-21105.