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Tiger kidnapping ordeal for Dublin family

Police descended on Dublin Airport after receiving reports that a van was acting suspiciously. Picture by RTE
Police descended on Dublin Airport after receiving reports that a van was acting suspiciously. Picture by RTE Police descended on Dublin Airport after receiving reports that a van was acting suspiciously. Picture by RTE

A GARDA hunt is underway for a criminal gang at the centre of a tiger kidnapping drama that led to armed officers descending on Dublin Airport yesterday.

The airport sparked a wave speculation on Twitter in the morning after it confirmed that a "localised Garda-related incident" was underway, while some passengers tweeted they had seen armed gardaí surrounding a plane.

After gardaí lifted a media blackout at lunchtime it emerged that officers had been responding to the kidnapping of a north Dublin family by a criminal gang and the theft of at least E200,000.

The family’s ordeal began on Wednesday night when three masked raiders forced their way into the Artane home of an employee of cash-in-transit firm, General Secure Logistical Service (GSLS).

The gang members held the man and his wife, both in their fifties, and the couple’s daughter, who is in her twenties, hostage overnight, before the two women were bundled into a Volkswagen Caddy van at around 5am and "driven around" for a several hours by their abductors.

It is understood the victim was given a phone by the gang which contained photos of his wife at gunpoint.

In the meantime, the husband was ordered to attend work as usual and forced to deliver to the thieves what gardaí have described as a “substantial sum of money”. The handover took place at the Corballis Road Business Park in Dublin Airport.

The man then locked himself into the van at the airport before armed gardaí arrived. 

Officers later found the mother and daughter safe and well in the Dunboyne area of Co Meath.

“Thankfully the victims involved have not suffered any physical injury but are naturally tramautised by the events,” gardaí said.

Investigators are appealing for the public’s assistance in respect of suspicious activity between 8pm on Wednesday and 8am today between the Artane roundabout, Gracefield Road, and its environs or anything in relation to the movements of a 09D Volkswagen Caddy silver/white at Gracefield Road, Artane, Chesnut Grove, Dunboyne or between those locations.

“Gardaí are also appealing for information on a small white box type van which was parked in the vincinity of Corballis Road Business Park, Dublin Airport between 7am and 8.30am on today's date," a spokeswoman said.

“An incident room has been set up at Coolock Garda Station and anyone with information is asked to contact gardai on 01-6664200 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111."