Man arrested over tiger robbery

Gardaí investigating a robbery in which a cash-in-transit company worker and his wife were kidnapped at gunpoint have carried…

Gardaí investigating a robbery in which a cash-in-transit company worker and his wife were kidnapped at gunpoint have carried out a series of searches and arrested one suspect.

The search operation in north Dublin also yielded a hand gun.

The searches relate to the kidnapping of the couple in Monasterboice, Co Louth, on November 6th and the subsequent robbery of the Brinks Allied depot in Clonshaugh, north Dublin.

This morning, a large team of gardaí from Dublin and Co Louth raided six premises in north Dublin.

The man arrested is in his 40s and is currently being detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act at Drogheda garda station.

Today's operation was carried out by uniformed officers, armed detectives and members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Emergency Response Unit.

The incident which involved the woman's abduction began at 9pm on Friday, November 6th, when she and her husband were held at their home in Monasterboice.

At 6am on Saturday, the woman was taken from the house in a silver Mercedes with a registration number 02 D 43757. Her husband was ordered to obtain a sum of money from the Brinks Allied premises at Clonshaugh, Dublin, and to await further instructions.

During the course of Saturday morning, the Garda became aware of the ongoing incident and a response team was put in place.

At 8.30am, a silver Toyota Landcruiser, with registration number 01 KE 843, was seen leaving the Clonshaugh premises and was later seen in the area of Plunkett College, Drumcondra and at Thatch Road, Whitehall. It was found abandoned and on fire at St John's Wood, Ashbourne, at 9.30am.

It is believed €170,000 had been handed over to the armed gang, who were dressed in dark overalls and balaclavas.

At about 10am the wife of the official was released from the back of a derelict house on the Howth Road, Dublin. The silver car in which she had been taken from her home was found burnt out outside the derelict house.