Fourhoursofterror

March 1994

Masked and armed raisers who escaped after holding a Newcastle family hostage at gunpoint are being hunted by Gardai in a massive operation.

Three young children, a mother and a teenager babysitter endured a four hour nightmare when they were taken hostage by two armed men as they returned to their empty home at tea time.

Gardai are still unsure of a motive as it wasn’t a straight forward robbery and the family is not considered a likely kidnap target by Gardai.

The raiders also didn’t appear to be in possession of any detailed information about their hostages.

The ordeal began at 5 p.m. when the culprits, armed with a rifle and handgun, lay in wait outside the house for their victims who they confronted as they got out of the car in the driveway.

A terrified woman, a teenager and a young girl were held captive in the house, as well as two children from a neighbouring home after they called around to the house in the evening.

They were all threatened at gun point. The raiders escaped with some jewellery and a sum of cash.