TWO MEN have been arrested in an apparent foiled robbery attempt on a Bank of Ireland branch in Edenderry, Co Offaly.
The men, both in their mid-40s, are also being questioned about another bank robbery in the town seven months ago when some €300,000 was taken using a similar technique.
According to gardaí, the men were arrested shortly after 2am yesterday in Edenderry.
Gardaí declined to reveal details of the circumstances of the arrest but it is understood the men were apparently caught trying to tunnel through a wall in an unused commercial premises next door to the Bank of Ireland.
Local detectives and gardaí supported by the Emergency Response Unit surprised the men, who it is believed planned to target the bank when it opened this morning.
It is understood the men were under surveillance for a number of days before their arrest yesterday morning.
They have been detained under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, and can be held for up to three days or 72 hours.
The two men are being questioned at Tullamore Garda station, and are also being interviewed about a robbery at the AIB premises in the town on September 26th last year when a similar method was used to get into the bank.
Raiders robbed the Edenderry branch of AIB of a reported €300,000 after they gained access by breaking through a wall from another unused commercial premises next door to the bank.
Two raiders armed with hand guns forced staff, who were finishing up for the day, to hand over the cash.
No shots were fired during the robbery.
The incident, which occurred at about 4.50pm on September 26th 2008, was the second time the bank had been targeted by raiders in three weeks. On September 8th, two people robbed the same branch.
Gardaí in Tullamore declined last night to comment on the investigation or arrests.