Nine people held at gunpoint in hotel raid

GARDAÍ ARE searching for a dark-coloured Volvo car, which they believe was used as a getaway vehicle, following an armed robbery at a country club in Co Wicklow yesterday morning.

Nine people, including Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche, were held at gunpoint during the incident, which took place at the Druids Glen Marriott Hotel and Country Club near Newtownmountkennedy.

The three raiders, who gardaí said were male, masked by balaclavas and armed with a sawn-off shotgun, escaped the crime scene in the car with an estimated €20,000 in cash.

Mr Roche (61) and his driver were leaving Druids Glen following a swim when they were approached by the raiders.

He is a member of the Druids Glen club, which is in his constituency, and a regular visitor to the complex.

He said the men ordered him and his driver back into the hotel lobby by pushing the gun into his lower back. The men then demanded money from staff at the reception desk.

Mr Roche, his driver and seven members of hotel staff were rounded up by the raiders, stripped of their mobile phones and initially forced into the manager's office, where the raiders located an amount of cash.

The raiders then took the hostages down two flights of stairs and into the hotel's strongroom, which is used for storing larger amounts of money and valuables.

Another amount of cash was stolen from the strongroom by the men, who then locked the hostages in the room and made their getaway.

"Fortunately, when we were locked in, one of the group managed to keep their mobile phone hidden and informed the gardaí.They were here in a remarkably fast time," Mr Roche said.

None of the hostages was injured and no shots were fired during the robbery.

Mr Roche added that the raiders may have believed he was a member of hotel staff and that he did not believe he was specifically targeted.

Gardaí arrived at the scene of the robbery at about 9.50am, which they believe would have given the raiders a head start of some five minutes.

Supt Michael Lernihan, of Bray Garda station, said patrols were launched in both south and northbound directions in an attempt to catch up with the raiders.

He added that a number of checkpoints were also established in the area and towards Dublin and that a Garda Air Unit helicopter was mobilised to assist in the search.

Supt Lernihan said last night that a number of members of the public had responded to an appeal for information about the crime with pieces of information, which could aid the investigation.

He urged anyone with information to offer in relation to the robbery to contact Bray Garda station on 01-6665300 or the freephone Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.