Armed Robbery at Graigue, Kilkenny on the 28/4/11

The Gardaí at Templemore Garda Station are investigating an Armed Robbery that occurred in the home a local business man and his wife on Thursday, the 28th April 2011.

At approximately 8am the woman of the house got up and prepared breakfast.  The business man got up a short time later and made some work related phone calls.  His wife went upstairs to get dressed.  At approximately 9.45am the man was in a room at the front of the house on the phone.  He finished his phone call and walked into the kitchen.  He saw a black jeep pull up at the back of his house.  Two masked and armed men got out and ran towards his house.  His wife who was upstairs heard a noise from outside and looked out the bedroom window.  She saw the two men and shouted at them to go away.  She pressed the panic alarm in the room.  The two raiders burst through the kitchen door and threatened the man and demanded money.  One of the raiders told the man to turn off the alarm and the second raider ran upstairs to the man’s wife who was attempting to lock herself into the bedroom.  The raider burst through the door and threatened her and told her he wanted money.  The raider dragged the woman downstairs where she saw her husband.  He told her to give them the money.  The raider pushed the woman back upstairs where she gave him a bag of money.  The raider searched the bedroom for more money.  He grabbed the woman again and brought her downstairs.  The raiders left the house and drove out of the garden at speed. The woman managed to take down the number of the jeep, a black Toyota Landcruiser registration number 07KE7295.

The vehicle travelled at speed towards Freshfrord through Ballyragget, where a witness who was carrying out work on a house saw a person acting suspiciously in the area.  The witness stated that this person took a consaw and ran towards a jeep.   Shortly after this another witness who was travelling from Freshford towards Ballyragget became aware of the jeep registration number 07KE7295 with two males on board travelling very close behind his vehicle.

Prior to this incident at between 9.30am and 9.40am a witness observed the black Toyota Landcruiser with a silver coloured car acting suspiciously a short distance away from Graigue.

Appeal:

• Anyone who was in the Graigue area or surrounding area before or after this incident on the morning of Thursday the 28th April 2011

• Anyone who may have seen a black Toyota Landcruiser bearing cloned registration number 07KE7295 in the Urlingford area in the days before and after this incident and who may know the whereabouts of this vehicle.

• Gardaí now appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to the cloning of the above registration plates.

• Anyone who may have seen a silver car travelling in convey with the Landcruiser in the Urlingford area

Description of Men:

• Raider 1 – 5ft 9inchs in height, stocky build, wearing dark clothing with a dark balaclava and a midlands accent