CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

CCTV footage from the raid on a Co Wexford metal breaking yard owned by John Molloy

THESE are the shocking CCTV images of a terrifying armed robbery where three people were threatened at gunpoint for €10,000.

A three-man gang burst into the business premises in Ballycarney, Wexford and shoved handguns in their victims' faces.

The raiders also threatened the businessman, his wife and a male staff member with a hammer and an iron bar in an ordeal that lasted just over 60 seconds.

Scrap metal yard owner John Molloy and his wife Patricia have been left terrorised by the shocking daylight attack in which they were threatened with being kneecapped.

Mr Molloy told the Herald: "This has had a terrible impact on my family's lives -- since this happened we are like prisoners in our own home.

"My wife can't sleep at night and we are going around locking every door after us all the time. We did nothing to deserve this."

Detectives are working on the theory that two notorious criminal brothers from Clondalkin, west Dublin, were involved in the armed robbery after being tipped off by local criminals.

The highly-respected businessman has now installed bulletproof windows and a reinforced double door on the portacabin where the armed robbery took place.

At one stage during the raid, a handgun is shoved in Mr Molloy's face as his male employee stands with his hands in the air as the bulky masked gunmen demand cash.

The terror can be clearly seen on Mr Molloy's wife Patricia's face as the balaclava-wearing thugs demand cash and threaten her husband and employee with their firearms.

Then one gang member manages to locate the money underneath an office table as Mr Molloy and the employee are forced into the back of the portacabin.

THREATS

The threats continue as the criminal fills a plastic bag with money before the gang flee the scene.

The suspects drove from Ballycarney towards Dublin at speed in a grey 2008 Audi, which was later picked up on CCTV by investigating gardai.

The Co Wexford armed robbery happened at lunchtime last December 18.

The Clondalkin brothers were arrested by gardai last Wednesday in Cloverhill Prison, where they are on remand in relation to a spate of serious criminal charges.

They were then brought to Gorey Garda Station in Co Wexford where they were questioned for a number of hours.

The duo -- who are considered extremely violent and have links to west Dublin organised crime gangs -- were then returned to prison where they remain on remand.

The brothers are the chief suspects for a shocking motorway incident which cannot be outlined here for legal reasons. They have almost 200 previous convictions between them and are suspected of being involved in a countrywide spree of armed robberies

Sources say that gardai are confident of securing charges in the Co Wexford armed robbery case.

Ken Foy, Crime Correspondent

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