Millions taken over past 20 years

Previous robberies: Yesterday's robbery is the latest in a long series of big cash heists on this island going back almost two…

Previous robberies: Yesterday's robbery is the latest in a long series of big cash heists on this island going back almost two decades.

In February 1986 a Dublin gang robbed a Securicor van of more than £1 million in cash at Marino in Dublin.

In January 1987 the same gang escaped with £2.1 million from a Securicor van hijacked at a bank, also in Marino.

In January 1992 £2.7 million was stolen from the AIB cash holding centre in Waterford.

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On January 12th, 1994 there was a botched raid in which a shotgun was fired at a Securicor employee outside the Bank of Ireland at Deansgrange, Dublin.

A man was later sentenced to six years.

In January 1995 an estimated £2.8 million was taken from the Brinks Allied cash depot in Dublin. In January 1996 £100,000 was taken at a Securicor depot in Waterford.

In April 1996 £1.1 million sterling was stolen in south Belfast while the family of a Securicor employee was held.

On January 4th, 1999 gardaí foiled a raid on a security van, containing £500,000, at Dalkey Co Dublin.

On May 1st, 1999, "Real IRA" member Ronan MacLochlainn was shot dead by gardaí in an attempted robbery of a Securicor van, containing more than £250,000, on the N11 in Wicklow.

On October 11th, 2001 a Dublin man was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to the larceny of €260,000 from the company van he had been driving. On October 22nd, 2001, €37, 500 was taken in a raid at the AIB, Lower Drumcondra Road, Dublin. A Securicor guard was shot at.

On April 10th, 2002, two armed and masked men escaped with €100,000 when they held up security staff delivering cash to an ATM in Limerick.

On May 11th, 2002 about €200,000 was taken when two security men were held up while making a delivery to an ATM machine at the junction of Clontarf Road and Vernon Avenue in Dublin .

On June 18th, 2002 €20,000 was taken from a Securicor van replenishing an ATM at the Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Dublin. In July 2002 €180,000 was taken from a Securicor van making a drop-off at an ATM machine in St James's Hospital Dublin.

On August 7th, 2002 armed raiders escaped with €420,000 when a security van delivering cash to an ATM at the Omnipark centre in Santry, Dublin, was held up.

On May 13th, 2004 gardaí said they believed armed raiders behind the theft of about €250,000 from an ATM machine at Swords, Co Dublin, the previous day, were linked to similar robberies in Dublin and Kildare in previous months.

Those behind the armed robberies had netted almost €750,000 in four raids between mid-February and May 2004, they believed.

On September 13th, 2004 £490,000 was taken in a planned raid in east Belfast.

On January 11th, 2005 €14,000 was taken in a raid on the Ulster Bank at Clane, Co Kildare. A Securicor employee was injured when shot during the raid. On February 1st last, £20,000 was taken in a raid on a Securicor van at the Shankill Road in Belfast.

Patsy McGarry

Patsy McGarry

Patsy McGarry is a contributor to The Irish Times