Aggravated Burglary & False Imprisonment in Cloonfad

The Gardaí at Castlrea Garda Station are investigating an aggravated burglary and False Imprisonment incident that occurred on Wednesday the 6th of April 2011.

At approximately 11.45pm four masked and armed men broke into the home of a retired post master in Cloonfad, Co. Roscommon. The retired post master lives in the house attached to the post office. They threatened him and tied his hands with electrical cables, believing him to be the post master. He explained to them that he was retired. They intimidated him for several hours and he was forced to disclose where the current post office manager lived. The four men took the retired post master with them in their car, a slate grey Golf registration number 06M5610, a copied registration number and directed him to take them to the post mistresses house. He knocked on the window of her home and she opened the door for him. The raiders burst in through the door and held the family inside. Her elderly parents also live with her. The raiders ransacked her home and stole a quantity of cash. They demanded the keys to the safe from the post office. The raiders took everyone back to the post office in their car and the post office manager’s car. The raiders were informed that the safe was on a time lock and would not open. They waited at the post office throughout the night and held the family there.

Shortly after 8am the following morning, the Gardaí became aware of suspicious activity at the post office. A Garda was dispatched to the post office to investigate. He was confronted by the four masked raiders and a struggle ensued between them. The raiders made their getaway in their vehicle that was parked in the back yard. The Garda gave chase in an official patrol car and activated the lights and sirens. He lost sight of them at Dunmore.

Appeal
• Anyone who was in the Cloonfad area or surrounding area between 10pm and 11.45pm on Wednesday the 6th of April 2011 and may have seen suspicious activity

• Anyone who may have seen a grey Golf registration number 06MO5610 between 1.30 – 2.00am driving from Cloonfad to the Williamstown Area.

• Anyone who may have seen a silver Toyota Yaris partial registration number 05MO travelling in convey with the Golf car en route back from Williamstown to the Post Office in Cloonfad

• Anyone who was in the Dunmore, Williamstown, Carrowroe and Glenamaddy area on the morning of Thursday the 7th of April 2011 and may have seen the grey Golf travelling at speed.