Meeting Held Over Cash Machine Attacks

As the NIO Security Minister Paul Goggins prepares to meet members of the NI Independent Retail Trade Association to discuss the recent spate of ATM raids, across the border there have been two further thefts targeting cash-in-transit deliveries.

One of those meeting Mr Goggins today is a victim of one of the recent NI robberies - Declan McCabe from Newtownbutler in Co Fermanagh - after the border area initially was the target of the ram-raid style robberies involving heavy plant equipment.

However, as the thieves became more daring, they moved into less isolated areas and recently targeted Philip Campbell from Kells too.

He is also to attend today's meeting, which is the first time the Minister has met victims of such robberies, although, in late December, he did announce a dedicated group to counter the thefts.

The NIO Security Minister - who also chairs the Organised Crime Task Force - (OCTF) had met the PSNI, the NI Policing Board and senior representatives from the banking sector as they jointly developed the latest steps in the action to counter the growth in ATM attacks.

He said the membership would monitor the situation daily and the senior politician will meet again to consider current security measures, the scope for additional measures including, the use of new technologies and the importance of partnership working to address the risk of further attacks.

However, highlighting the ongoing, island-wide issue of cash in transit robberies and attacks on ATM machines themselves, Gardaí have now launched an investigation into a robbery from a security man who was in the process of collecting cash from a shop at Century Business Park, Meakstown, Dublin, at about 2pm yesterday.

Shortly before that incident, Gardai in Ashbourne were called to the robbery of a cash in transit van at Ratoath, Co Meath.

At approximately 8.30am, two armed males held up security men as they serviced an ATM machine at a shopping centre in Ratoath Village. The men escaped with a quantity of cash.

Reports today indicate that the robbers may have escaped with as much as €100,000 in the two separate raids.

See: ATM Security Boosted

See: Appeals Follow Cash In Transit Robberies

(DW/BMcC)