GARDAÍ WERE last night searching for armed raiders who stole €140,000 from a security van making a delivery to a filling station near Carrigaline, Co Cork.
The raiders struck at about 4.35pm yesterday as the Group 4 Securicor staff were making a delivery to an ATM at the Maxol garage on Carr’s Hill about a mile from Carrigaline town.
Two raiders, armed with sawn-off shotguns and wearing balaclavas, held up the two security staff before escaping in a Saab driven by a third masked man.
The raiders drove at high speed back up Carr’s Hill towards Cork city and the car was later found burned out near Ballinora GAA club some five miles away on the southwestern fringes of Cork.
The car had been fitted with false number plates. Gardaí said last night that the vehicle had been stolen in early December in the Douglas area.
Supt Charlie Barry appealed to anyone who saw the black Saab anywhere on the southside of Cork between 4.30-5.30pm or in the Carrigaline or Douglas areas earlier in the day to contact Togher Garda station on 021-4947120.
Gardaí are also studying CCTV footage from the filling station and they are working with Group 4 Securicor to establish what type of containers the cash was being carried in. One theory gardaí are examining is whether the raid may be the work of a criminal and drugs gang from Cork who owe a five-figure sum to a Limerick drugs gang.