Gardaí in the midlands are seeking a three-man gang who held three people, including the daughter of an Athlone businessman, at gunpoint for over an hour on Sunday morning.
The raid took place at the home of Mr Peter O'Callaghan, Priory Park, Athlone, at 3 a.m., when armed raiders burst into the house.
They demanded cash and valuables from Mr O'Callaghan's daughter, Leanne, her boyfriend, Mr Michael McKnight, and Mr O'Callaghan's brother-in-law, Mr Tommy Egan.
The victims were tied up by the gang who menaced them with a sawn-off shotgun, a screwdriver and a knife.
The gang, all of whom wore balaclava masks, stayed in the house for over an hour before leaving the trio tied up.
Ms O'Callaghan said she was asleep at 3 a.m. when the door burst open and a man wearing a mask pointed a shotgun at her.
The gang, one of whom spoke with a pronounced Dublin accent, demanded where her father, who was on holiday, kept his money and refused to believe that she did not know.
She said the raiders threatened to stab them if they refused to disclose where the money was and they stayed in the room threatening her for well over half an hour.
They tied up the victims with cable and destroyed the telephone before leaving shortly after 4 a.m.