Two men are in Garda custody after they were arrested trying to escape the scene of an armed post office robbery in Gorey, Co Wexford this morning.
The men's escape was thwarted when a uniformed garda arrived at the robbery scene as the two raiders were attempting to switch from their getaway motorbike into a car.
It was the second time in two days that unarmed members of the force tackled armed criminals in the course of attempted robberies.
In Co Galway yesterday three Dublin men were arrested during an attempted tiger kidnapping in which a businessman and his wife were held hostage and three children, all under the age of seven, were tied up.
Earlier today, gardaí were alerted that a robbery was happening at the Gorey post office at 11.30am. One man went into the post office with what is believed to be a handgun and stole a sum of money after threatening staff.
Two staff members and several customers were present in the post office at the time of the robbery.
The armed raider left the scene on the back of a motorbike which was being driven by a second man who waited outside. The men had parked a getaway car not far from the crime scene.
As they were attempting to switch from the motorbike to the car to escape a uniformed garda arrived on the scene and frustrated their escape.
The two men were arrested and the cash, believed to be in the region of €10,000, was recovered. Gardaí believe a third man was at the scene and was about to drive his accomplices away when he realised the raid was foiled and escaped. Gardaí were still searching for him last night.
Both arrested men are being held under Section 30 of Offences Against the State Act at Gorey Garda station. They can be held for up to 72 hours without charge.