FIREFIGHTERS rushing to the scene of a blazing car were amazed to find dozens of €50 notes floating in the breeze.

The cash was blowing along the ground near the burning car and more €50 notes were seen stuck in nearby hedgerows.

The money – believed to be more than €20,000 – was stolen just minutes earlier in a armed heist at an ATM machine in west Dublin.

Gardai were responding to reports of the robbery in Tyrrelstown Plaza at 3pm yesterday, while their colleagues in Dublin Fire Brigade received calls about a burning car.

Billowing

It appears that the thieves panicked after securing a quantity of cash from security men who were making a delivery to the AIB machine at the plaza.

The fire services received an emergency call at 3.15pm, which reported that a car was on fire in the vicinity of Hollystown Golf Club on the outskirts of Blanchardstown.

A fire engine crew arrived at the scene at 3.25pm and began to battle the flames billowing from the car. But the unexpected sight of several €50 notes lying all around the vehicle prompted a call to Blanchardstown Garda Station.

Garda went to the scene and established that the car – a Hyundai Accent – was used in an armed robbery in Tyrrelstown Plaza at 3pm. Three men were involved in the armed raid.

One man remained in the getaway car while the other two men threatened the security officers with a handgun.

They escaped with a quantity of cash. Gardai said later no one was injured during the robbery. Investigating officers are seeking assistance from anyone in the vicinity of the armed raid or at the scene where the burning getaway car was abandoned by the raiders.

It is not certain whether the criminals decided to burn the car or it simply caught fire.

aokeeffe@herald.ie