Gardaí foiled a cash in transit robbery in Ratoath on Monday.

Shortly after 12 noon, a security man collecting cash at a shopping centre in Ratoath was approached by a man brandishing what appeared to be a firearm.

The man, dressed in black, demanded the cash box and fled with it to a waiting grey Renault Kangoo van driven by a second man. This van drove off at speed.

An off duty Garda who witnessed the incident followed the van into a nearby housing estate where he boxed the van in with his own car. The suspects exited the van and pointed the firearm at the unarmed Garda.

Following a brief standoff the men dropped the firearm and the cash box and fled into fields. A search of the area was mounted but so at the time of going to press, the men had not been arrested.

During a follow-up search of a house at Streamstown, Ratoath, items of black clothing, which Gardaí believe were associated with the robbery, were recovered.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Ashbourne Garda station on 01 8010600.



