GARDAI were yesterday searching for two raiders after they foiled an armed robbery and arrested a third member of a gang who held up a McDonalds restaurant in Douglas in Cork city early yesterday morning.
The raid occurred as staff were locking up at around 1 a.m. The gang, armed with a sawn-off shotgun and two knives, threatened staff and demanded money.
They demanded to be taken to the manager's office and had collected around £500 in cash when gardai, who had been alerted by staff, arrived. Two of the gang fled while a third raider, armed with the sawn-off shotgun, exited through a rear door as Garda units from Anglesea Street, Douglas, Togher and Blackrock converged on the scene.
Gardai gave chase and succeeded in overpowering the raider despite having the weapon pointed at them.
A man arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act was taken to the Bridewell Garda station in Cork. The man, who is in his late 20s and from Cork city, can be held for up to 48 hours.
Detectives recovered the sawn-off shotgun and a quantity of cash. The other two raiders are still being sought.
A Garda spokesman said they were not ruling out the possibility the gang had a getaway car waiting for them, and they appealed to anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the Douglas area between 12.30 a.m. and 1.30 a.m. to contact them.
"This was a very nasty raid. The sawn-off shotgun was pointed at staff in a very menacing manner. Thankfully, nobody was injured in the raid but staff were naturally very shaken given a firearm was pointed at them," said the spokesman.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Douglas Garda station on 021-891115 or any Garda station.
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