Gardai in Navan believe a Dublin gang may have been involved in the theft of £8,000 from the staff of the Beechmount hotel as they were about to lodge the money in a night safe at 2.30 a.m. yesterday. The staff had taken Thursday night's takings to the AIB night safe near Market Street when they were accosted by two men, one carrying an iron bar. One male staff member was hit on the legs with the bar and the money was taken by the two who escaped by car. It was later crashed into a school wall beside Navan Garda station.
A man armed with a knife escaped with about £4,000 from the Bank of Ireland branch at Blackpool, Cork, yesterday afternoon. The man, who wore a balaclava, jumped over the counter and threatened staff with the weapon, before grabbing the money and running off.