Updated: Wednesday, 21st April, 2010 4:56pm

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Raiders target charity couple

by Paul Murphy

A raid by two armed and masked men on the Julianstown home of a couple who had been collecting money for a national charity is being investigated by Gardai.

The men, wearing stocking masks, forced their way into the couple's home at Moorechurch, Julianstown, on Saturday night and demanded cash.

The couple had been collecting money for the Irish Wheelchair Association last Friday and, on Saturday at about 9.30pm, there was a knock on their front door.

The residents, one of them a wheelchair user, answered and the raiders forced their way past them into the house. An estimated €400 in seven collection boxes was stolen before the men made their escape. The couple were not injured but were said to be badly shaken up by the incident.

Descriptions of both men have been issued by Gardai. One was said to be 5' 7" with blue eyes and was wearing a dark top, while the other man was said to be about 5' 7" and wearing a beige fleech top and carrying a black holdall with white writing inscribed on it. The couple said the men spoke with Dublin accents.

Laytown Gardai, who are investigating the case, has asked anyone who finds white plastic charity boxes bearing the words 'Irish Wheelchair Association' on them to contact them. Gardai believe the men may have dumped the boxes after they fled the Moorechurch area.

Sgt Trevor Dooley of Laytown Garda Station has appealed to anyone who was in the vicinity of Moorechurch between 9.30pm and 10pm last Saturday to contact them.

Laytown Gardai can be contacted on (041) 982 7074.