GARDAÍ ARE investigating a robbery in which an armed gang beat up a petrol station owner and then poured petrol over him and threatened to set him on fire during a break-in at the man’s home.
The 36-year-old victim’s wife and his three children, aged one, two and four, were in the family home at Áth Leathán, Dundalk. Co Louth, when the gang struck.
A woman in her late 40s and two teenage girls were also there. They are all believed to have witnessed at least some of the attack.
All eight people were asleep in the house when a five-man gang knocked at the kitchen door some time just before 8am on Tuesday.
When the door was opened by the target’s wife, the gang burst in and tied her up, threatening her. They then sought out her husband upstairs and attacked him.
Gardaí believe at least two of the raiders were armed with handguns. They appeared to believe there was a large sum of money in the house and demanded it from the man of the house, beating him and pouring petrol over him. They threatened to set him on fire unless he gave them money.
The attack lasted about 30 minutes, during which time the victim sustained serious facial injuries. The gang finally left with some money, believed to be a modest four-figure sum.
The men ran from the house. Gardaí believe they had parked their getaway vehicles some distance away. They spoke with what is believed to be eastern European accents. They were masked and wore gloves during the attack, which appeared to be well planned.
The man injured during the incident was taken for treatment to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. While the other occupants of the house were not injured, they are said to be very traumatised.
Gardaí are working on the theory that the gang believed money from their target’s business would be in his house. Detectives think the gang observed the service station owner for a period of time while planning the robbery.
Gardaí have asked anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity around the house on Monday night or early on Tuesday morning to contact them at Dundalk station on 042-938 8400.