ATM Raid – Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny on 12/06/2009

Gardaí are seeking the assistance of the public in tracing the movements of a Blue Volkswagen Golf reg. 08 D 29796 which was stolen in Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny in the early hours of 11th June 2009.

A car similar in appearance was sighted at approximately 2.15am on 12th June in Tullow, Co. Carlow where an Isuzu truck was stolen from a housing estate in the town. At 3.30am the truck and Golf were intercepted by a Garda patrol car at Castlebridge, Co. Wexford, following which the truck was abandoned and the occupants fled in the VW Golf at high speed.

At 4.14am this Golf was sighted in Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny and a short time later an old style light blue BMW 525 Reg. 94 D 49955 was stolen from a local housing estate.  A trailer and a JCB digger were also stolen from the area at that time.

At 5.26am the JCB began breaking down the exterior wall of the Bank of Ireland in Graiguenamanagh, four raiders were at the scene wearing balaclavas.

A short time later the Golf and the BMW left in convoy with the ATM machine on the trailer towed by the BMW.  Extensive damage was caused to the structure of the Bank of Ireland.

At 5.50am the Golf and the BMW towing the trailer were sighted at Ballymurphy outside Graiguenamanagh travelling in the direction of Kiltealy, Co. Wexford.  This was the last confirmed sighting of the vehicle.

On the morning of 14th June the Golf, the BMW & trailer which had been set alight and the badly damaged ATM machine were located on a remote roadway at Trooperstown and Glenwood, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow.

Gardaí are appealing for anyone who observed this distinctive, VW Golf R32 (only three registered in country) between the time of it’s theft in Mooncoin, Co. Kilkenny in the early hours of 11th June and it being set alight in Roundwood, Co. Wicklow before 7am on 14th June.

The car is high-powered, and very noisy when driven.  When the car was stolen it was low on petrol so the car likely stopped for petrol in Kilkenny, Carlow, Wicklow or Wexford so we are appealing to anyone working in petrol stations who might recall a similar car and it’s occupants.

Gardaí are appealing for anyone who observed the VW Golf and the BMW 535 towing the trailer between 12th and 14th June 2009.

We are also appealing for anyone who knows the identity of these raiders to contact us in confidence.  The driver of the VW Golf was wearing a blue check shirt with long sleeves.  Another raider was six foot tall and wore blue jeans & a dark long sleeved sweater.

Gardaí at Thomastown Investigating                                                                Telephone 056 7754 157