Minister is locked in shop during armed raid
CULTURE Minister Josepha Madigan praised quick-thinking pharmacy workers yesterday for protecting her and other customers after raiders
armed with a knife and hatchet ransacked a nearby shop.
The Fine Gael politician was in Stillorgan, Co Dublin, on Saturday when the men stormed the grocery before threatening staff with weapons and getting away with cash.
Speaking about the incident the 49-year-old minister posted on social media last night: “Many thanks to the local pharmacy who locked its doors and kept me and some other scared people safe.”
Three men were arrested and being questioned at Dundrum Garda station last night. They can be held for up to 24 hours.
A spokesperson said: “At approximately 6.15pm yesterday evening gardai responded to reports of a robbery in progress at a grocery store in Stillorgan.
“The alarm was raised when two males entered the store and threatened staff with a knife and hatchet before leaving on foot with a sum of cash.
“A car was intercepted by uniformed gardai responding to the incident as it attempted to leave a car park outside the store.
“The occupants of the car, two men aged in their 30s and one in his 40s, were arrested.
“A sum of cash along with a hammer and axe were recovered from the car. No one was injured during the raid.
“The men were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 for questioning.”