DISARMED BANDIT! Pub regulars foil armed robber

AN armed and masked raider was tackled to the ground by three customers after trying to hold up a pub.

The would-be robber was held by regulars in the Speaker Connolly after threatening two members of staff and about a dozen drinkers around closing time on New Year’s Night.

Pub manager Jason Doyle said: “We couldn’t have been more thankful for them.

“Obviously we didn’t know at the time that the gun was imitation. We thought we were in serious trouble. But they showed no fear. And we’ve told them already that they’ll be looked after.”

The brave customers, all believed to be in their 30s, have been regulars in the pub in the Firhouse area of Dublin on and off for the last few months.

The hold-up bid began as one of the bar staff was pulling down the shutters of the pub at closing time, around midnight.

He was approached by a lone raider wearing a balaclava and carrying what looked like an Uzitype sub-machine gun.

About a dozen people were still in the bar at the time.

The raider marched the barman into the pub with the gun at his neck and ordered drinkers out of the front bar and into the lounge.

He then went behind the counter and pointed the gun at Mr Doyle as he demanded the takings.

An off-duty detective was also in the pub and BEST BAR NONE: Jason Doyle has praised brave regulars called gardai while another member of staff had pressed a panic button.

The raider was disarmed on the kitchen floor and restrained until police arrived on the scene a few minutes later.

A man in his 30s was arrested at the pub and a suspected firearm was recovered, say cops.