GARDAÍ ARE investigating whether the same gang is behind two incidents of kidnap and robbery in Co Kildare in less than a month.
A postmistress and two other women were held captive in the postmistress’s house in Ballinafagh by four armed men in the early hours of yesterday morning. It comes less than a month after a similar incident on April 4th at Fennor, involving senior An Post manager Liam O’Sullivan.
Earlier this month, a garda was attacked in Co Roscommon by a gang that had held four people hostage during another attempted robbery of a post office in Clonfad.
Gardaí said yesterday it was still too soon to determine if the attack yesterday morning was linked in some way to other attacks.
When asked whether a single gang might be responsible for both of the attempted robberies in Co Kildare, a spokesman said: “It could be, but we don’t know at this stage – it will form part of the investigation.”
Yesterday’s robbery attempt began at 1am when four men carrying crowbars and a sledge hammer broke into the local postmistress’s house in Ballinafagh.
Three women, ranging in age from their mid-40s to mid-70s, were there at the time.
The raiders, who were wearing balaclavas, locked two of the women into one bedroom before forcing the postmistress into a car and driving her to the post office in Prosperous, where she worked.
Two of the armed men accompanied the woman, while the two remaining kidnappers stayed behind in the house to guard the other two. When they arrived at the post office, the men were unable to access any money due to the security procedures and systems in place there.
They returned to the house in Ballinafagh with the postmistress, where they locked her in the bedroom along with the two other captives.
The four culprits then fled the scene. The alarm was raised when one of the women managed to escape at about 2.30am.
Gardaí said no one was injured, but added the women had been through a “traumatic experience” and asked that their privacy be respected.
Gardaí in Naas are investigating and have appealed to anyone who may have seen activity from 1am to 2.30am between the house in Ballinafagh and the post office in Prosperous to contact them on 045-884300.
“We are making a similar appeal to the public for any information in relation to suspicious activity that may have been seen at either of these locations for up to a week prior to this incident,” said Sgt Gerry Curley of the Garda Press Office.
The previous Co Kildare incident, involving Mr O’Sullivan, unfolded on the night of April 4th-5th
At least four armed men entered Mr O’Sullivan’s house in Fennor, Co Kildare, and took his wife hostage.
Mr O’Sullivan was instructed to obtain a sum of money from the GPO in Dublin the following morning, before awaiting further instructions.
However, gardaí became aware of the incident overnight and a response team was established, leading to the release of the woman unharmed without any exchange of money
Following the incident, the Irish Postmasters’ Union said such incidents were an everyday worry for its members.
The union added the vast majority of An Post employees do not have access to cash, and said it appeared the agreed protocols set up to tackle this type of crime were working.