Post-office owners living in fear after raid

Post-office owners living in fear after raid


Hollymount postmistress confronted by armed man

Ciara Galvin
ciaragalvin@mayonews.ie

A postmaster said he and his wife are living in fear after an attempted armed robbery took place at their Hollymount post office last Tuesday.
Maureen Heaney was in the kitchen of the adjoining family home, minding her grandchild, when she heard someone enter the post office. Assuming it was a customer, she went straight towards the counter, only to be confronted with a man in a balaclava brandishing a weapon.  
“Maureen thought it was just someone who wanted a stamp but when she stepped behind the counter she could see a man in a balaclava pointing a gun at her and shouting,” postmaster SeΡn Heaney told the Mayo News.
Mrs Heaney immediately backed out of the post office, back into the kitchen of their home, where she locked the door and rang emergency services. The intruder left empty handed.
Mr Heaney, who was in Claremorris at the time of the attempted raid, said that some men in the neighbouring garage realised that something was not right, and one of them tried to follow the getaway car, reported to be maroon in colour, to get the registration. The car was travelling too fast, however.
Nevertheless, the Gardaí arrested one man and seized a car in the Ballinrobe area 40 minutes after the attempted armed raid. After carrying out planned searches, Gardaí arrested a second man in the North Galway/South Mayo area.
The men were detained for questioning at Claremorris Garda Station, the first man was released after questioning on Thursday last while the second man was released in the early hours of Friday morning. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution.

Vulnerable
The attempted raid marks the second time the couple have been victims of a robbery attempt. A similar raid took place in 2001.
Speaking to The Mayo News last week, postmaster SeΡn Heaney said the latest raid has made him and his wife feel very vulnerable.
“For it to happen once is one thing, but a second time as we’re getting older makes us feel more vulnerable,” admitted Mr Heaney. “Maureen’s shook enough. We’re lucky in the sense that nobody was hurt and no money was taken. The Gardaí were out in a very short time.”
Speaking to The Mayo News about the raid, Superintendent Joe Doherty of Claremorris Garda Station condemned the attempted raid as a cowardly act. “It was a despicable and cowardly act, to confront a postmistress with a suspected firearm as she was on her own,” he said.
Supt Doherty said every resource is being made available to the investigation and he commended local Community Alert groups.
“I want to thank the Hollymount and Ballinrobe Community Alert groups who were a great assistance to us and the people of Hollymount who are giving every support to Mrs Heaney and her family.

Shock
Fine Gael Councillor Patsy O’Brien said the people of Hollymount were taken aback by the raid.
“People are shocked this has happened in Hollymount and shocked about the manner in which the attempted robbery was done, in the afternoon when people are around. It’s really an awful thing to happen in any village,” he said.
The local garda station in the village was among the six Mayo stations that were closed last January. Asked whether the closure of the local Garda Station last January was an issue in the aftermath of the attempted raid, Cllr O’Brien said there was ‘not one’ comment made in relation to the closure.
“The response by Gardaí to the post office was instant. They were there in a matter of minutes,” explained O’Brien.

Appeal
Investigations into last Tuesday’s attempted raid at Hollymount post office are ongoing. The Gardaí are still appealing to the public for information, especially on anyone or any car acting suspiciously in the Hollymount area last Tuesday afternoon. Anybody with any information is asked to contact Claremorris Garda station at 094 9372080 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.

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