Gardaí believe armed raiders responsible for the theft of about €250,000 from an ATM machine near Swords, Co Dublin, yesterday are linked with similar robberies in Dublin and Kildare in recent months.
Gang members behind the armed robberies have netted almost €750,000 in four raids since mid-February.
The latest raid occurred at a service station on the old Dublin-Belfast road at Lissenhall, at around 8.30 a.m. Two armed raiders held up a security van as it was making a delivery to the ATM machine.
The raiders fled the scene in a 4x4 vehicle. It was found abandoned near Balbriggan a short time later.
At least one of the men suspected of involvement in yesterday's raid is believed to be a member of a well-known west Dublin gang behind three similar raids in an eight-day period in February.
Detectives from Swords have already been in contact with colleagues from other Garda stations in whose catchment areas the robberies took place.
Gardaí from Naas, Cabinteely and Blanchardstown have been working closely on the investigation into the robberies. A special operation aimed at clamping down on armed raids in the greater Dublin area has also been set up in Harcourt Square Garda divisional headquarters.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has already expressed his concern at the level of gun crime in the State in recent months.
Mr McDowell said this increase had taken place against the backdrop of a reduction in the number of conventional robberies from financial institutions. This was proof that armed raiders who had targeted banks had begun to target cash vans instead.
He has already announced plans for tougher sentences for those convicted of firearms offences.
