An elderly couple was held at gunpoint yesterday evening by armed raiders who stole cash from a post office in the village of Fahan, near Buncrana, Co Donegal.
The postmistress and her husband, who are in their sixties, were assaulted by the robbers, shown the bullets of a hand gun and threatened that they would have their legs blown off if they did not co-operate.
The three-man gang locked the couple in a room before making off with a five-figure sum.
The postmistress managed to climb through a hatch in the post office section of the building, which adjoins the house, and alerted a neighbour.
Insp Greg Sullivan has appealed for anyone in the Fahan area between the hours of 5.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. who noticed anything unusual to contact Buncrana Garda station on (074) 9361555.
Meanwhile, gardaí at Store Street, Dublin, are continuing to appeal for witnesses to an armed robbery at the Harbour Master pub at the Financial Services Centre at about 1 a.m. on December 29th.
Anyone with information should call (01) 666 8000.