Family held hostage as €7m stolen from BoI

Friday, 27 February 2009 23:10
An armed gang is being sought after a bank official and his family were held hostage at their Co Kildare home overnight.

It is thought up to €7m was stolen when the official was forced to go to the Bank of Ireland on College Green in Dublin and withdraw the cash.

View timeline of events

AdvertisementThe gang forced their way into the home of bank employee Shane Travers in Kilteel last night and took the worker's partner, Stephanie Smith, her mother, Joan Smith and Joan's five-year-old grandson hostage.


Ms Smith was beaten before the family was taken away in the family car.


Shane Travers, who is in his 20s, was then forced to drive his car to the bank.

After withdrawing the money, he handed it over to the gang at Clontarf DART station. His family was then released in the Ashbourne area, Co Meath.

The red Toyota Celica was later found burned out in an apartment block near Tolka House Pub, Glasnevin.


Gardaí are now appealing for information on the movements of the cars used in the incident - the bank official's red Toyota Celica (99-D-88856) and the family's dark Volkswagen Golf (05-D-33720).

The men involved are described as being very tall and one is of particularly strong build and may be a bodybuilder.

Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Rathcoole/Kilteel areas at around 5.30am this morning, or in the Clontarf or Ashbourne areas after 7am, are asked to contact gardaí on 045 884389.

No shots were fired during the incident but the family is said to be extremely traumatised.

Proper procedures not followed - Ahern

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has said proper procedures were not followed during the raid this morning.

Mr Ahern expressed his shock that such a heist could result from one man being targeted.

The Minister confirmed this afternoon that gardaí were not contacted until the money had left bank premises, which is said is not in compliance with proper procedures.

Mr Ahern said several issues of concern have been raised and discussions between the bank authorities and gardaí would take place.

He said he was concerned about the way the matter was handled, and that the main focus now is to investigate the matter.

Although he did not confirm the amount stolen, he said media reports are not far off the mark.

Mr Ahern confirmed that the CEO of the Bank of Ireland has emailed all staff following the robbery reminding them of the procedures which should be followed when such events occurred.

He said it is easy for people to say that things should have been done better, however he said an enormous amount of pressure comes on staff when such events occur.

The Minister said he is in no way critical of the people involved but he said the banks must ensure that any gaps exposed as a result of the robbery are closed and closed quickly.

New Bank of Ireland Chief Executive Richie Boucher sent an email to all staff this afternoon to remind them of the bank's security procedures.

He said: 'Our priority is always for the safety and well-being of all staff. I am sure this incident will raise concerns. Our best defence is to follow tried and tested procedures.

'I would ask everybody to remind themselves of these procedures, which are there to protect you, your families and the bank.'

€4m recovered from Bank of Ireland raid
Saturday, 28 February 2009 22:11
Gardai have recovered an estimated €4m from the robbery of the Bank of Ireland yesterday.

Seven people are still being questioned about the kidnapping of a family in Co Kildare and the robbery of over €7.5m.

Five cars and a van have been seized, ten houses have been searched, while a house in Phibsboro has been sealed .

AdvertisementFive of those in custody are known to the gardaí and believed to be connected to a Dublin north city criminal gang.

One man was arrested following a chase along the M50 and two bales of packed cash were found in the car.

Four others were arrested in a car in Monk Place and in Great Western Square in Phibsboro and the other two were arrested in a house on Great Western Villas, also in Phibsboro.

Loose money was also found in a car in Phibsboro.

The seven are being questioned at Blanchardstown, the Bridewell, Finglas, Pearse St and Mountjoy Garda Stations.

They were arrested on suspicion of possession of firearms yesterday at Badger Hill, Kilteel - the Smith family home.


The house in Kilteel remained sealed off today.

This morning a trauma counsellor called but Shane Travers' girlfriend Stephanie Smith, her mother Joan and Joan's five-year-old grandson are being cared for elsewhere.

Garda forensic specialists have also been examining a house in Great Western Villas which may have been used by the gang as a safe house after the robbery.

Yesterday morning, an armed gang forced a Bank of Ireland employee Shane Travers to withdraw over €7m from the Bank of Ireland on College Green in Dublin, while his partner, her mother and a five-year-old boy were being held hostage.

The bank employee handed the money over to the gang at Clontarf DART station.

Gardaí & bank officials discuss procedures
Monday, 2 March 2009 09:35
The heads of security in the country's main financial institutions are meeting senior gardaí in Dublin this morning following the theft of €7.6m from Bank of Ireland.

The meeting, which is being held at garda headquarters, has been arranged to review the operation of the security protocol in all banks and to try to establish why staff at BoI failed to adhere to it.

BoI says it has no comment in relation to why gardaí were not alerted to last Friday's raid in time.

AdvertisementRTÉ News has also learned that Shane Travers, the bank official who was forced to hand over the money, also showed another bank employee a photograph of her home taken by the gang.

Seven people are still being questioned in connection with the raid after a district court judge in Dublin extended their periods of detention last night by another 24 hours.

The amount of money recovered from the robbery of Dublin city centre's College Green branch of the bank is now put at €1.8m.

A previous estimate of the amount recovered had put it at €4m over the weekend.

A gang forced their way into the home of Mr Travers in Kilteel, Co Kildare, last Thursday night.

Mr Travers was forced to withdraw €7.6m from the bank while his partner, Stephanie Smith, her mother, Joan Smith and Joan's five-year-old grandson were held hostage.

Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern held discussions over the weekend and agreed that senior garda officers should meet security personnel from the country's financial institutions.

They will discuss why the agreed protocol was not adhered to in this case and whether or not security arrangements between the banks and gardaí need to be reviewed and improved.

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