THE POLICE Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda are co-operating in the hunt for a gang who kidnapped members of a Belfast family and coerced a security worker to hand over a substantial sum of money believed to be about £200,000 (€229,000).
Police, who have appealed for public assistance on both sides of the Border in their attempt to apprehend the kidnappers, said the man, a security van driver, his teenage son and the man’s partner were “extremely traumatised” by the experience.
The family’s ordeal began on the outskirts of Belfast at about 6pm on Wednesday and did not end until 26 hours later, when the woman and the 16-year-old boy were discovered by gardaí in Co Monaghan. This was the fourth such robbery and kidnapping in Northern Ireland this year.
Chief PSNI investigating officer Det Chief Insp Justyn Galloway said the gang carried out a “well-planned and organised kidnapping/robbery”.
There was some speculation last night that dissident republicans or criminals with a paramilitary background were involved. The fact that up to 10 people were involved in the kidnapping and robbery indicated they were experienced criminals. Det Chief Insp Galloway said “all lines of inquiry will be followed up”, but did not rule out dissident involvement.
The officer said at about 6pm on Wednesday, two masked, armed men entered a house in the Teeling Grove area of Dunmurry in west Belfast.
“A 39-year-old female and 16-year-old male were taken from the house in a white transit van to an unknown location, where they were kept overnight,” he added.
“In the meantime, the woman’s partner, a 41-year-old-male, who works for a cash-in-transit company, was ordered to go to work as normal on Thursday,” he said.
“He was then ordered to meet the culprits in an industrial estate in the Muckamore area of Antrim and forced to hand over a substantial sum of money.”
Det Chief Insp Galloway did not say how much was involved, but the sum is believed to be about £200,000.
He added the kidnapped woman and teenager were found by gardaí in the townland of Aughnadamp near Castleblayney in Co Monaghan at about 8pm on Thursday. They had been locked in a shed.
Gardaí found the woman and boy after earlier responding to a report of a burnt-out van in Co Monaghan. The PSNI was unaware of the robbery and kidnapping until alerted by gardaí.
“The family were not injured but were left extremely traumatised following their ordeal,” said Det Chief Insp Galloway.
“They were left in no doubt if they did not co-operate and comply with the instructions that their lives would be in danger,” he added.
He said pillow cases were put over their heads when they were kidnapped. “We are dealing with a 16-year-old boy and two adults who have had their privacy invaded and the terrifying ordeal of being removed and kept at a location overnight,” he said.
The officer said police were particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen the white Ford transit van, bearing the registration number HEZ 6069, being used suspiciously in the Teeling Grove area of Dunmurry at about 6pm on Wednesday.
They also sought information on a brown/beige hatchback that was seen in the Muckamore area of Antrim, where the money was handed over.
Sinn Féin West Belfast Assembly member Jennifer McCann said the gang needed to be apprehended quickly. “This is a vicious attack on the entire community and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms,” she said.
SDLP West Belfast MLA Alex Attwood said security staff and business people must be extra vigilant against such robberies.
Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn said anyone with information must bring it to the PSNI or gardaí.
