Sawn-off shotgun used in Cork Applegreen robbery

Gardaí seek assistance after raider makes off in Fiat Punto after robbing filling station staff

An  Applegreen service station  in Co Cork was robbed at gunpoint on Monday night.  File photograph: Google Street View
An Applegreen service station in Co Cork was robbed at gunpoint on Monday night. File photograph: Google Street View

Gardaí in Cork have appealed to the public for assistance following an armed raid on a filling station on the outskirts of the city in which staff were threatened at gunpoint.

The robbery happened at the Applegreen service station at Brooklodge in Glanmire at 7.40pm on Monday night when a lone raider entered the premises and approached a staff member.

The raider, who had his face covered, threw a bag over the counter, produced a sawn-off shotgun and ordered the staff member, a man in his 40s, to fill the bag with cash from the till.

Walked calmly out

The man then walked calmly from the filling station, stepping back to allow two women to enter the premises, before getting into a wine-coloured Fiat Punto with a 98D registration.

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The raider then drove off in the direction of Knockraha. Gardaí later found the car abandoned but intact at Templenacarriga, north of Midleton.

The car was removed by Garda technical experts for a forensic examination. Gardaí also began examining CCTV footage from the filling station in the hope of identifying the raider.

Gardaí described the robber as being about 6ft tall and of athletic build. They said he was wearing a grey and black hooded top, black tracksuit pants and dark-coloured footwear.

They said no one was injured in the raid but appealed to anyone who may have witnessed it to contact them at Mayfield Garda station on 021-4558510.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times