Gardai bid to identify Blarney shop raider

GARDAI have appealed to the public for assistance after a lone raider held up a staff member in a busy post- office in Co Cork on Tuesday and made off with a quantity of cash.

The raider entered Blarney Post Office at around 1.45pm on Tuesday and told the staff member on duty that he was armed with a sawn off shotgun and to hand over cash.

The woman complied with the demand and she handed over a quantity of cash to the man who exited the post- office and fled the scene on foot in the direction of the Square in Blarney.

It’s understood that the woman wasn’t physically injured in the robbery but was badly shaken by the experience which happened when she was alone in the post-office located on the west of the village.

Gardai have begun studying CCTV footage from the post- office in an attempt to try and identify the raider who had his face concealed throughout the robbery which lasted just minutes.

Detectives don’t believe that the raid is linked to a robbery last week on a shop in nearby Cloghroe where a lone raider similarly held up staff and again made off with a quantity of cash.

Gardai appealed to anyone who witnessed anyone acting suspiciously near Blarney Post Office between 1pm and 2m on Tuesday to contact them at Gurranebraher Garda Station on 021-4946200.