Gardaí in the midlands have launched a search for four armed and masked raiders who escaped with an undisclosed quantity of cash from a pub on the main Galway-Dublin road early yesterday morning.
The raid took place at Paddy Ryan's pub at Horseleap, between Kilbeggan and Moate on the N6.
The pub is run by Breda and Mick Marshall, who were cleaning up the bar at about 2am after a busy bank holiday Sunday night.
Ms Marshall went out to clean up the smoking area to the rear of the bar when she was approached by four "masked men, all armed with a variety of firearms", according to a Garda spokesperson.
Mr and Ms Marshall were told to bring the raiders to the room where cash was stored, and they took a quantity of cash.
Gardaí would not reveal the amount taken in yesterday's robbery but have reiterated their warning against holding large quantities of cash on business premises.
"The men went out the rear of the premises and into what we believe was a dark-coloured saloon car," said the Garda spokesperson.
"They then went out on to the N6 road, but we are not sure of the direction they took."
There was local speculation that the men spoke with Dublin accents, but gardaí would not comment.
The Longford-Westmeath divisional scene of crime unit carried out an extensive forensic examination of the pub yesterday. Half of Paddy Ryan's pub is located in Co Offaly and the other half in Westmeath.
Contrary to earlier reports, nobody was held hostage during the incident, and the Marshalls were able to raise the alarm quickly after the event.
They suffered no injuries, but were not willing to talk to the media yesterday.
"We are looking for anyone who may have seen anything unusual in the area on Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday," said the Garda spokesperson.
"In particular, if anyone saw four men travelling in a dark-coloured saloon car in the Horseleap area, we would like to hear from them.
"Somebody may have noticed something earlier in the day, too. Information can be passed on to the gardaí in Athlone.".
In February, an undisclosed amount of cash, some jewellery, and a BMW people-carrier were taken when members of one of the best-known midlands business families were held captive in their own home just outside Athlone.
This incident took place just 15 miles from Horseleap.
Damien and Rachel Kilmartin, who operate the landmark Kilmartin's N6 Centre in Athlone, were traumatised following the incident, which lasted for almost 90 minutes.
Their three children, and a fourth child who was visiting their house at the time, were held captive by four burglars who had a sledgehammer, a baseball bat and two iron bars.