Gardaí in Co Longford are investigating a post office robbery in which a substantial sum of money was taken by armed raiders today.
A Garda spokesman said two men wearing balaclavas, one carrying a bar and the other a knife, entered the post office in Keenagh at around 9.30am.
One of them vaulted the counter while the other waited at the door. A "substantial" sum of money was taken, the spokesman said.
It is believed the postmistress was forced to open the till at knifepoint.
The raiders left in an old-style Honda Civic car in the direction of Ballymahon, the Garda spokesman said.
He said there were "no developments" in the case and no arrests have yet been made.
Today's raid follows one on a post office in Kilkenny city last week when postmaster Alan Cunniffe (31) was shot dead after he pursued an armed raider.
Post office workers have expressed increasing concern for their safety after a number of incidents where staff have been held in so-called 'tiger' kidnappings and used by raiders to access cash on post office premises.