Three held over €7.6m bank raid

Three men have been arrested in Dublin over the theft of €7

Three men have been arrested in Dublin over the theft of €7.6 million from a Bank of Ireland vault in Dublin city centre in February.

A spokesman said an operation was carried out in Dublin this morning involving a number of searches. Three men were taken to Harcourt Street, Pearse Street and Store Street Garda stations to be questioned.

They men, aged in their 20s and 30s, are being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.

The robbery was the biggest robbery in the history of the State. A bank worker was forced to deliver the money, before gardaí were informed, to a gang holding his partner and her family hostage. Two women and a five-year-old boy were kidnapped at gunpoint and tied up by a gang. One of the women was also beaten.

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The bank official forced to steal the money, Shane Travers (24), was told to bring the cash to Clontarf Dart station in north Dublin, less than half a mile from where his father is stationed.

The facility was holding such a large sum because it is a collection point for vans delivering cash to banks and ATM machines around the country.

Gardai made seven arrests immediately after the robbery and a substantial amount of money was recovered.

Patrick  Logue

Patrick Logue

Patrick Logue is Digital Editor of The Irish Times