POLICE have issued a renewed appeal for witnesses to come forward following the armed robbery in Derrylin earlier this month. The warning comes as detectives investigating the incident staged a reconstruction of events in the town that day this afternoon. 

The terrifying incident happened just after 12.30pm on the town’s Main Street on Wednesday, February 3rd as two delivery drivers were making a cash deposit at the ATM outside McDade’s Centra. The delivery drivers were approached by two unknown males, two of whom were armed with suspected firearms and threatened the men. 

Police have not confirmed how much money the men made off with, however they have said that the amount was “a substantial sum of cash”. 

Detectives investigating the incident have also issued a description of a vehicle they would like to identify.

Detective Inspector Brian Foster said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who noticed a dark grey or black Peugeot 308 with the registration number, ILZ 7799, in the village at the time of the robbery at 12.25pm or in the area prior to the incident. We are also keen for any information about the current whereabouts of this car.”

Police believe the culprits may have been wearing black beanie hats, one was wearing a high-vis jacket while the other was wearing a dark top or jacket.

Aiden McDade, who runs the Centra store, previously told the Herald that he was unsure how the robbers had known when to target the delivery van, as Brinks Security, who operate the NoteMachine at the shop, always vary the times they make their deliveries to the shop. 

A spokesman for Brinks has declined to comment on their security measures but has also appealed to the public to assist the police with their investigation. 

Meanwhile, there have been calls for more police officers to be deployed in Fermanagh’s border areas, in the wake of the armed robbery.

Local Cllr Barry Doherty said the incident had been shocking in that it happened in the middle of the day when children were at school nearby. 

“Centra is just across the road from the local primary school,” he said. “What if something had gone wrong? These people have brought them guns right into the heart of our community.”

Cllr Doherty said the Derrylin robbery was just one of many shocking incidents in recent times, stating the county’s border areas were facing “a constantly evolving threat” that was characterised by incidents he said were planned and organised. 

Cllr Doherty said while there was “definitely local input” in some recent crime incidents, he said the fact so much information was now available online, such as shop opening hours and Mass times, was making life easier for organised criminals who were visiting areas to carry out thefts and robberies. 

“These criminals ware working out a plan and strategy, so we need to come up with our own plan and strategy. We need to be proactive, not reactive. People want to feel safe in their own homes.”