Raiders stole £1.2 million and held a woman hostage overnight in a Belfast security van heist.
The woman, whose partner works for the Brinks security firm, was taken from her home at Belvoir on the southeastern outskirts of Belfast during the night.
Her partner was then ordered to drive to the Upper Lisburn Road area where he was instructed to hand over cash.
"He was to hand over a large sum of cash to an unknown party," a police spokeswoman said. "Once this handover had taken place the woman was released unharmed in the Annadale area of south Belfast."
A filling station near the scene of the raid was sealed off by police, but security sources said that any theft did not necessarily happen at the business.
Detectives are checking for any paramilitary involvement but insist it is much too early to tell.
Anyone who noticed suspicious activity between midnight and 8a.m. to come forward is urged to comee forward.