GARDAI at Santry in Dublin have appealed to the public for information after 10 tons of computer components, valued at more than £2 million, was taken from a hijacked lorry in the city on Thursday.
The lorry, carrying 19,574 disk drives, was stopped at about 10.15 a.m. near Kealy's public house at Cloghran on the old airport road.
Two men in a blue Mitsubishi or Pajero jeep flashed their lights at the driver, indicating there was something wrong with the rear of the lorry. When the driver got out he was hit over the head, had his jacket pulled up over his head, and was bundled into the jeep.
They drove him away and later he was transferred to a van with a sliding door. Arriving in the Phoenix Park through the Islandbridge gate, the driver was removed from the van and handcuffed to a tree.
The 45-foot lorry, belonging to Wilson Transport and Warehousing Ltd was found at the west pier in Howth, on Thursday evening.
Speaking at Santry Garda station yesterday, Detective Inspector John Farrelly said it was probable members of the public might, have noticed some unusual activity in connection with the robbery.
He said it was likely the consignment was removed by fork-lift, though it is not known where. He also advised people in the computer components wholesale business to be on the alert for offers of cut-price disk drives.
Anybody with information is asked to ring the gardai at Santry at (01) 8427966, or on the confidential free phone line, 1800- 666111.
The company for whom the consignment was intended - Quantum Corp of Dundalk - plans to issue wholesalers with lists of the serial numbers of the missing disk drives.