GARDAI investigating an armed raid on an Ashbourne publican - whose family was held prisoner while he was brought by armed men to his premises - believe that criminals based in Dublin are responsible. They believe that a lot of preparation went into the crime, which netted the four man gang about £4,000 in cash and cheques.
Mr Denis Fox, of Milltown, Ashbourne, Co Meath, and his wife and two teenage children were in bed at around 1.30 a.m. yesterday when the four raiders, who were wearing balaclavas and carrying a sawn off shotgun and a hammer, forced their way in through the front door.
They locked Mrs Fox and the children into a bathroom while they searched the house. They took a small sum of money, a legally held shotgun and cartridges.
One robber stayed with the family while the other three left with Mr Fox for his two pubs. They first went to the Fox's Den, where two members of staff were cleaning up. They locked the staff in the coldroom and took money from the tills.
Then they went to the Stag's Head, where Mr Fox and four members of staff were locked in the cellar. Again the gang took cash and cheques from the tills.
They then left and collected the fourth member before making their escape.
Gardai believe the entire operation took a maximum of 25 minutes and had been carefully planned. The alarm was raised after a short period by Mr Fox, who managed to get out of the cellar.
Gardai set up checkpoints in Finglas, Blanchardstown and surrounding divisions but no one matching the description was stopped.
"All four had Dublin accents and this was a well planned and researched operation. They were in their late teens and earlier 20s. This was not subversive," said, one of the gardai involved in his investigation.
Gardai are investigating reports that a blue car with a Dublin registration was seen in the area at the time.
During the incident threats were made that if Mr Fox did not give the gang money, his wife would be harmed. A barman in the Fox's Den was struck in the face and suffered minor injuries.