Staff at Navan Post Office threatened at gunpoint

Navan Gardai are investigating an armed robbery in Blackcastle Post Office, Navan, yesterday (Tuesday) morning where staff were threatened at gunpoint. At around 11am, three men entered the Post Office. One man was carrying a handgun and another had a sledge hammer. The man smashed the hatch with the sledge hammer allowing one of the other men access behind the counter. The two staff members were threatened at gunpoint and customers were told to get down on the ground. Although staff members set off the panic alarm, the men got away with an undisclosed sum of cash. The three men left the scene in a Santa Fe jeep and drove through Clusker Park, out through Blackcastle, and abandoned the jeep at Bru na hAbhainn, setting it on fire. They left Bru na hAbhainn in a black Volkswagen Passat. Staff members and customers were terrified and left shaken by the ordeal. Superintendent Michael Devine said Gardai are looking at CCTV and are interviewing people in the area. He said they are interested to hear from anybody who saw the jeep departing the scene or the Black Passat which was parked in Bru na hAbhainn from the night before. Anybody who noticed anything suspicious is asked to contact Navan Garda Station. Navan Fire Service attended the scene of the jeep fire. Meanwhile, Navan Gardai are investigating a robbery at Metges Lane on Friday evening where a 20-year-old man was threatened at knife point. The man was walking down the busy pedestrian lane at around 5.20pm when he was grabbed from behind and a knife was held near his face. The attacker demanded that he hand over cash and his mobile phone. After getting a small amount of cash, the attacker fled the scene. Gardai are examining CCTV footage in the area and are interviewing witnesses. The young man was terrified by the ordeal but was fortunately uninjured. Gardai are investigating the theft of a car from Connelly Avenue between 7pm on 3rd April and 8am on 4th April. The blue Honda Civic has not been recovered. A burglary at Herbert Place, Navan, between 1.20am and 8am on 4th April is also being investigated. Entry was gained by forcing a door and a handbag and mobile phone were taken. Another burglary took place at Wilkinstown between 7.30pm on 3rd April and 11am on 4th April but nothing was taken.