Gardaí are investigating two robberies on hotels in Kilkenny that occurred within 30 minutes of each other earlier today.
Night porters were forced to hand over cash and a safe during the robberies at the Springhill Court Hotel and Lyrath House Hotel.
In the first robbery, a gang confronted the night worker at the Springhill Court on the Waterford Road at around 2.30am, demanding cash.
They stole money from a safe in an office, tied the man up, and made off in a blue-coloured SUV.
About half an hour later, two men believed to be wielding knives threatened the night porter at Lyrath House on the Carlow Road.
The men took the safe and made off in what was described as either a silver or blue-coloured SUV.
Gardaí said a 1993 Dublin-registered blue Mitsubishi Pajero was found a short distance from the hotel.