Jeep used in tiger kidnap burned out in Ashbourne

A jeep used in the kidnapping of a cash-in-transit official’s wife was abandoned and set alight in Ashbourne on Saturday morning. The 2001-registered Toyota Landcruiser, with registration number 01 KE 843, was discovered burning in the car park of a residential development, St John’s Wood, off Ashbourne’s Main Street, shortly after 9am on Saturday morning. Drogheda Gardai are investigating the kidnapping in which the wife of a cash-in-transit official was held in a derelict house. The incident began at 9pm on Friday when she and her husband were held at their home in Monasterboice, Co Louth. At 6am on Saturday, the woman was taken from the house in a silver Mercedes car with the registration number 02 D 43757. Her husband was ordered to obtain a sum of money from the Brinks Allied premises at Clonshaugh, Dublin, and to await further instructions. During the course of Saturday morning, the Gardai became aware of the ongoing incident and a response team was put in place. At 8.30am, the silver Toyota Landcruiser was seen leaving the Clonshaugh premises and was later seen in the area of Plunkett College, Drumcondra, and at Thatch Road, Whitehall. It is believed €170,000 had been handed over to the armed gang, who were dressed in dark overalls and balaclavas. At about 10am, the wife of the official was released from the back of a derelict house on the Howth Road, Dublin. The silver car in which she had been taken from her home was found burnt out outside the derelict house. Gardaí are seeking any information about any of these incidents.