The owners of two homes taken over by the gang behind last week's £22 million bank raid in Northern Ireland hope to return today, following a police forensic examination.
Houses belonging to Mr Chris Ward in the Poleglass area of west Belfast, and Mr Kevin McMullan, in Loughinisland, Co Down, have been preserved as crime scenes since last Monday when details of the raid on the vaults of the Northern Bank in Belfast city centre first emerged.
Mr Ward and the McMullan family had to spend Christmas away from their homes while the houses were dusted down for clues about the gang who held them hostage and carried out the robbery.
It is hoped the owners will be able to return today once both properties are cleaned properly following the forensic searches.
"The scenes at both houses have now been closed and police are arranging for the houses to be cleaned before they are returned to the owners," a PSNI spokeswoman said.
"A number of scenes have been held since the report of the robbery and the kidnappings and full comprehensive forensic examinations and searches have been carried out, as is normal police procedure in a crime of this nature."
Meanwhile, police are still hunting for a handgun and ammunition which was stolen from a police Land Rover on Christmas Eve during searches of republican homes. They were stolen from the vehicle in Cavendish Street, off the Falls Road area of west Belfast.
The police raids on republican homes followed a denial by the IRA that its members were involved. Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams has complained to the British government about the police investigators' actions.
PA