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Police hunt 7m euro bank robbers Police hunt 7m euro bank robbers
(about 2 hours later)
Police in the Irish Republic are hunting an armed gang which has carried out the country's biggest ever robbery.Police in the Irish Republic are hunting an armed gang which has carried out the country's biggest ever robbery.
The gang forced a bank official to withdraw an estimated 7m euros (£6.2m) from the Bank of Ireland branch where he works at College Green in Dublin.The gang forced a bank official to withdraw an estimated 7m euros (£6.2m) from the Bank of Ireland branch where he works at College Green in Dublin.
They forced their way into his home in County Kildare on Thursday night and took his partner, her mother and a five-year-old boy hostage.They forced their way into his home in County Kildare on Thursday night and took his partner, her mother and a five-year-old boy hostage.
The man's partner was beaten and the family taken away.The man's partner was beaten and the family taken away.
The official, who is in his 20s, was then forced to drive his car to the city centre bank.The official, who is in his 20s, was then forced to drive his car to the city centre bank.
After withdrawing the money, he handed it over to the gang at Clontarf DART station.After withdrawing the money, he handed it over to the gang at Clontarf DART station.
His girlfriend's family was then released in the Ashbourne area of County Meath at around 0700 GMT on Friday.His girlfriend's family was then released in the Ashbourne area of County Meath at around 0700 GMT on Friday.
It is a fact that gardai didn't know about this incident until the money had actually left the bank premises Dermot Ahern
The Irish Justice minister, Dermot Ahern, said he was deeply concerned that proper procedures were not followed at the bank.
"It is a fact that gardai didn't know about this incident until the money had actually left the bank premises.
"Under normal protocol that shouldn't be the case, because the sooner they know about it, the sooner they can put in the necessary checkpoints, etc."
In 2004, a gang forced two employees of the Northern Bank to help it steal £26m from the bank's central Belfast vault.In 2004, a gang forced two employees of the Northern Bank to help it steal £26m from the bank's central Belfast vault.
The Irish Justice minister, Dermot Ahern, said there was an onus on the banks to improve their procedures and security.