THREE ‘have-a go heroes’’ who restrained a man believed to be part of a three-man gang who robbed a grocery store in main street, Roslea on Friday afternoon last, as they made their getaway, have been praised for their efforts.
The man was subsequently arrested by police who raced to the scene after a ‘999’ call. The two others got away in a car that was parked at the disused police station site.
The car was recovered later that day in a housing estate in Monaghan town.
The robbers’ target was the ‘Day to Day’ grocery store at the top of the town which is owned by husband and wife, Kevin and Mary Tierney.
Two of the robbers made their move at around 3.20 on Friday afternoon and, in the resultant encounter, a female assistant who was on her own behind the counter at the time, was struck on the mouth by one of the robbers and then fell, hitting her head off a fridge.
She was taken to the A & E department of the South West Acute Hospital for treatment, which included stitching.
Speaking to the Herald, Mrs Tierney said the staff member was, ‘sore and traumatised’ following her experience.
“Kevin had gone to Manchester to see Saturday’s Manchester United’s game against Aston Villa.
“That’s why I called in Vonnie (the injured party). We’re 30 years here on 1st November and we’ve never had a bit of bother in all that time.
“I had just stepped out of the shop minutes before this happened, and it could have been me that was hurt. Somebody must have been looking down on me.”
Mrs Tierney explained that two men came into the shop, leaving a third man outside.
“They took a bag of money out of a drawer and the other man raided the till. We reckon they got away with about €250 because the bag of money later recovered.”
She said three men had noticed suspicious activity and immediately reacted when the robbers made their getaway.
“They ran down towards their car, but the man that was caught wasn’t as fast as the other two. He was tossed him to the ground and they held him like that till the police arrived.
“I would have to applaud them. They saw these three men acting suspiciously, and one of them, in his rush to get out of his own car, didn’t know whether he had left his handbrake on or not.”
Local Sinn Fein councillor, Bran McCaffrey, who knows all three ‘heroes’, said their actions were to be welcomed.
“In doing what they did, they may have prevented other communities being targeted. A robbery like this is an unusual occurrence in Roslea and it’s not everyone who is prepared to stand up and do what they did.”
Anyone who saw the vehicle with three men onboard in the Roslea area, is asked to get in touch with the PSNI by calling the new non-emergency number ‘101’.
A garda spokesman confirmed that the vehicle was recovered later that day, some time between 6pm-7pm at Mullaghmatt, a housing estate in Monaghan town, about six miles away.
“It was seized and is being forensically examined’, he added.
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