ARMED raiders at a Limerick pub lay in wait for customers to leave after a busy Mother’s Day of trading before using a shotgun to threaten and assault staff in a prolonged aggravated burglary.
Gardai from Roxboro Road Station are appealing for witnesses into what has the hallmarks of a planned raid by two armed and masked men at Russell’s Bar on the Fr Russell Road in Limerick.
At around 1am in the early hours of Monday morning last, two men threatened staff members who were left in the bar.
One staff member was tied up while another was locked into an adjacent room off the bar. Both staff members received injuries in the attack and one had a shotgun pointed at them.
The men then demanded access to cash on the premises.
While causing damage to the premises inside and after taking an undisclosed sum of money from the day’s takings, the raiders then stole a car belonging to one of the employees.
A black Volkswagen Golf was used by the two as a getaway car with the raiders fled the scene towards the Dock Road at around 3am.
The raid had the hallmarks of a planned operation as the two masked raiders are understood to have used a firearm, believed to be a shotgun as well as a crowbar and threatened staff. One of the bar staff was cable ties and another locked in a room, a Garda spokesperson said.
In the aftermath, the staff members managed to free themselves from the locked room and raise the alarm.
Gardai made a further appeal over the “aggravated burglary” this week.
“Two males entered a licensed premises and approached staff. Both men were carrying weapons. There is no description of the two males as they wearing balaclavas hiding their faces,” the Garda spokeswoman added.
“The staff members were traumatised as they were assaulted in the incident. The two men fled the scene in a black Volkswagen Golf taken from one of the injured parties.”
Gardai believe the raiders made their getaway “in the direction of the Dock Road”.
“We are appealing for anyone that may have been in the vicinity of the Dooradoyle/Dock Road area to come forward with any information whatsoever regarding this incident. Roxboro Road Gardai are investigating this incident and can be contacted on 061 212340.”
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