Third hold-up in a year at Mace store
Wednesday March 10 2010
THE owner of a local supermarket in Tullyallen has been left angry and frustrated after his shop was again targeted in a robbery. The hold-up is the third to take place at the local Mace Supermarket in the last 12 months.
Two men wearing hoods and scarves and brandishing a hammer entered the store in Tullyallen shortly before 10pm on Monday night and demanded money from staff.
The shop was also targeted in a similar attack just six weeks ago when two men brandishing a hatchet entered the store and demanded cash.
Less than a year ago the Mace was the butt of another robbery, again involving two men with a hatchet.
Monday's raid is the latest in a long line of robberies in the Drogheda area and Mace owner Niall Lynch fears the situation is only going to get worse.
'It's more annoying for staff than anything else because people are living and working in fear. It's hard enough to run a business with that but unfortunately it is a sign of the times. Drogheda is being battered by robberies at the moment and there's going to be more of it too, unfortunately.'
Mr Lynch, who was attending a Mace conference in Galway when the robbery happened, said thankfully the thieves only got a small amount of cash, just € 90, from the tills along with some cigarettes.
He said since the last incident took place further security measures have been put in place so very little money is kept onsite or in the tills.
The culprits are believed to have fled the scene in a silver saloon car in the direction of Gleann Alainn. Anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious in the Tullyallen area between 9-10pm is asked to contact gardaí in Drogheda on 9874200.
- Fiona MAGENNIS
