Gardaí in Roscommon are investigating the kidnapping of four people in two separate locations during an attempted post office raid.
A local Garda receive minor injuries when he intercepted the armed and masked men at Cloonfad Post Office.
The men escaped the scene in blue grey Volkswagen Golf with a 06 Mayo registration. This is the third such incident in the area in two years.
Shortly after 11pm last night four armed and masked men broke into the home of Padraig McCormick next to the post office in Cloonfad.
The former postmaster was tied up and taken by car to the home of the current postmistress Geraldine Finnegan, who lives with her elderly parents in nearby Curragh. The Finnegan’s home was ransacked and over €3000 taken.
At around 2am the Finnegans were taken back to the post office, along with Mr McCormick, and all four were held there while the raiders waited for the time lock on the post office safe to open at 9am.
Shortly after 8am the alarm was raised by another member of the Finnegan family and local garda Gerry McDonagh went to the post office and confronted the raiders. He was attacked and the men escaped. No money was taken from the post office.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone with information to contact them at Castlerea on 094-9621630, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111 or any Garda Station.
Both locations are currently being preserved for a garda technical examination.
