Two armed raiders held up security staff delivering cash to an AIB branch in Dublin yesterday and made off with a substantial sum of money.
The raid occurred at the Capel Street branch at 10.35 a.m. when the men, wearing helmets and boiler suits, threatened the security men with a shotgun.
The raiders grabbed a bag of cash, understood to contain a five-figure sum, and made their escape on a motorcycle which was later found abandoned in Lower Dominick Street.
Gardai believe the raiders left the Lower Dominick Street area in a silver-coloured car with a 01 registration and have appealed for witnesses. A spokesman said it was unlikely subversives were involved.
The raid took place on the street outside the bank and the branch remained open for business all day.
The men delivering the cash worked for the Securicor company. A spokesman for the company said the matter was in the hands of the Garda.
Any information on the raid should be relayed to gardai at the Bridewell on 01-6668200 or any Garda station.
The Garda press office said no figures were available on the number of armed robberies this year. However, during a Dail debate in February last year the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Ms Mary Wallace, said statistics indicated a strong decrease in armed crime in recent years.
Nevertheless, she said there were 34 armed robberies in January 2000.