Thieves ram a Garda patrol car, during a raid on a post office van carrying cash for pensions in Cork
The armed robbery in Carrigtwohill in east Cork, began at midnight when armed raiders broke into the home of Redmond Twomey, four doors away from the post office on the main street.
The gang held the Twomey family at gunpoint for six hours while they waited for the arrival of the post office van driven by Kevin O'Riordan. The van carrying pension money and mail arrived shortly after 6.00 am. It was accompanied by a garda patrol car from Midleton.
The gang used Redmond Twomey’s car to ram the escorting garda car from behind as it followed the van towards the post office.
A uniformed garda and a detective were dragged out and one kicked in the face.
Garda Liam Ryan was tied up on the street while Garda Mossie Galvin was tied up in a corner of the post office.
Postmistress Ann Doyle describes her ordeal. When she was certain the gang had left the scene she freed Garda Ryan and Garda Galvin.
The gang made off in the back of the van and drove to an isolated farmyard just under a mile away on the Carrigane Road. The raiders ransacked the mailbags taking about £60,000 and then headed north towards open country around Knockraha and Leamlara.
The raid is almost a carbon copy of one that took place six months ago at Cobh Cross where £100,000 was taken.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 14 October 1983. The reporter is Tom MacSweeney.
