Gardai probe cash heist in Ratoath

A sum of money, believed to be in the region of €70,000, was taken in a robbery from security men in a cash-in-transit van in Ratoath on Monday morning. At around 8.30am, two males, both believed to have been armed, held up security men as they serviced an ATM machine at the Bank of Ireland at Corballis Shopping Centre in Ratoath village. Gardai are appealing for anyone who observed a white Peugeot Partner van in the vicinity of Ratoath prior to 8.30am on Monday to contact them. There were no injuries during the course of the robbery and Garda enquiries are ongoing. Shopkeepers or others who may be offered ink-stained cash are asked to contact Gardai. Anyone with information is asked to get in touch with Ashbourne Garda Station on (01) 801 0600, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. Meanwhile, a staff member in a Navan jewellers was subjected to a terrifying attack last Thursday afternoon after an armed raider hit her on the head with the butt of a gun during a raid on the store. At around 3.25pm last Thursday afternoon, 28th January, two men carrying handguns entered Coldrick's Jewellers on Trimgate Street and ordered the staff to open a display cabinet. While the staff members were trying to do so, they had some difficulty in opening the display, and one of the raiders hit the staff member over the head with the butt of the gun. The raiders then fled the scene empty-handed and went through the grounds of St Mary's Church and out onto the Fair Green. The two staff members were badly shocked and shaken by the ordeal but were otherwise not injured. Both raiders spoke with a foreign accent. The first is described as 6ft 2" in height with blond hair, though this could have been a wig, and he wore a black jacket with the hood up, blue jeans and black shoes. The second man is described as 5' 8" in height, of stocky build and he was wearing a beige beanie hat, a white jacket with a black stripe across the back, black trousers and black shoes. Gardai are appealing for witnesses and anyone who noticed anything suspicious at the time is asked to contact Navan Garda Station. Meanwhile, Gardai in Duleek are investigating an armed raid at the Centra shop in the village on Saturday night. At around 9.30pm, two men entered the shop, one was wielding a hatchet and the other a carving knife. During the robbery, one of the men swung the carving knife at a staff member and cut the staff member's finger. The raiders made off with a quantity of cash and cigarettes and left the scene in a dark-coloured estate car that was driven by a third man. It is understood there were a customers in the shop at the time. Anyone with information on this incident or who noticed suspicious activity in the area is asked to contact Duleek or Navan Garda Stations.