Lone raider armed with knife holds up bank branch

Gardaí in Cork are searching for a suspected lone raider armed with a knife who held up staff at a bank in this city earlier on Thursday and made off with a small amount of cash.

The man entered the Ulster Bank Branch in the Blackpool Shopping Centre around midday and threatened staff at knifepoint before making off with what is believed to be around €1,000.

It is understood staff handed the man a specially prepared bundle of cash containing a capsule of dye which then activated.

The purple-pink dye could be seen on the man’s clothing as he fled the building and anyone offered cash with purple-pink dye is asked to contact gardaí immediately.

Staff shocked

Nobody was injured in the raid though staff were said to be shocked and shaken as the raider fled on foot from the bank building on the Old Mallow Road side of the shopping complex.

The man, who was described as being 6ft tall and of athletic build and wearing a grey tracksuit pants and dark top and baseball cap, fled on foot in the direction of Spring Lane in Blackpool.

Gardaí from Watercourse Road have begun interviewing both bank staff and customers and they have appealed to the public for assistance.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious near the bank before from 11am or saw anyone fleeing towards Spring Lane after the raid is asked to contact gardaí at Mayfield on 021-4558510.

Gardaí are still investigating whether the man may have had an accomplice waiting in a car on Spring Lane and they have asked anyone who saw any suspicious vehicles in the area to contact them.

Garda technical experts have begun a forensic examination of the scene in the bank while officers have also begun studying CCTV footage in the hope of identifying the culprit.