Family in Clare robbed at home at gunpoint

A CLARE family is recovering after being robbed at gunpoint at their home on Thursday night.

A man demanding cash and wearing a balaclava threatened a woman (57) and her two sons aged 14 and 10 at gunpoint at their home in Ardkyle near Sixmilebridge at 10.45pm. He left with a laptop and two mobile phones when he could not find any cash.

Insp Tom Kennedy of Shannon Garda station said yesterday that gardaí had recovered what was believed to be the sawn-off shotgun used in the raid in a ditch 500-600 metres from the home. Insp Kennedy said the stolen laptop was also found a short distance from where the shotgun was found.

The family operates a business in Ennis, while the woman’s husband is an accountant in Limerick. He was working late at the time.

Insp Kennedy said: “The family were not physically harmed, but they were very badly shaken and traumatised.” In response to the raid, the Garda’s Regional Armed Response Unit was deployed in the Sixmilebridge area to support gardaí from Shannon, Limerick and Ennis.

“We are viewing Thursday night’s incident as very serious,” Insp Kennedy added. “We don’t have too many armed robberies in the dead of night around this area.”

Family friend, councillor and local businessman John Crowe (FG) said yesterday: “People are stunned over what happened and it has come as a real shock to everyone. I can’t understand why this family was targeted. It must have been a mistake and the raider must have got the wrong house. No one keeps money in their home now.”

Mr Crowe added: “People were already afraid of incidents like this, but there is even more fear out there now as a result of what happened.”

Insp Kennedy said the raider searched a number of rooms in the home for cash before leaving with the laptop and the mobile phones.

Insp Kennedy said gardaí were investigating the theory that there was an accomplice.

“We believe there may been someone nearby ready to drive the raider away as it was very cold at the time and it is unlikely that the man was travelling alone by foot.”

The raider is described as being tall and well-built. Gardaí are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious between 10pm and midnight on Thursday in the Ardkyle, Sixmilebridge, area to contact them.

Anyone with information can contact gardaí at Shannon on 061-365900.