Armed robber hits shop again for the third time in nine days
By Maurice Garvey
A NEWSAGENT suffered a third armed raid in the space of nine days this week – with staff fearing an escalation of the thug’s reign of terror.
Staff at the More4Less shop in Bawnogue Shopping Centre in Clondalkin, believe the same person is involved in the attacks, the most recent occurred on Sunday, April 17, at 11.45am.
Two weeks ago, The Echo reported how businesses urged the community to take a stand against a sinister gang of youths wreaking havoc at Bawnogue Shopping Centre.
On Sunday, a raider armed with a gun and knife, crept into the shop from the back door.
CCTV footage shows the raider stalking the shop floor from the rear yard, before creeping his way towards the till and threatening a staff member.
After securing a minimal amount of cash from the till, the disgruntled thug then points the gun at the head of a manager, and orders him to open the safe in another area of the store, before fleeing upon discovering a batch of leap and scratch cards.
The string of robberies has “staff being on edge everyday”, according to a More4Less store employee.
“It’s the same guy and it’s gone beyond a joke at this stage,” said an employee.
“There is a suspicion the robber is watching us, and we’re concerned that he is escalating his activity. You can’t stop thinking about it every day when you’re going to work.
“This is the second Sunday in a row, but this time, he came in the back door, and checked the safe. It’s mostly a coin safe, and we hadn’t many coins – just payzone cards, leap cards and scratch cards.”
A manager at the store was told he would be shot after ejecting a shoplifter two weeks ago.
The store are considering hiring security, due to an ongoing problem with gangs of youths threatening and intimidating staff on a daily basis.
Footage shows the thug wielding a gun and a knife, whilst waiting for an elderly customer to leave the shop before striking.
During the robbery, there was a small child in another area of the shop, oblivious to the danger.
The Echo understands Clondalkin gardaí have identified suspects for the robberies and increased patrols in the Bawnogue area in recent weeks.
Superintendent Brendan Connolly, from Clondalkin Garda Station said: “We have identified a number of individuals, and made a number of drug seizures under Section 3 (possession).
“We are paying attention, and work has began with a new liaison officer between the shopping centre and gardaí. A lot of it is gathering evidence, and it take time to put together a file for the DPP.”
The More4Less store suffered another blow this week, when South Dublin County Council refused permission for a planning application that the store were seeking to improve the shopping centre.
The owner of More4Less submitted a planning application with South Dublin County Council to amalgamate three retail units into a small supermarket, incorporating the local post office.
“It would reinvigorate the centre, and provide more resources and benefits for the community,” said the employee.
“Unfortunately the council said the site notice for the application was invalid and on a tree. We had six site notices up on lampposts, none on a tree. We can’t put the site notice up outside the shop, because kids take them down. It’s a real double blow for us.”
The initial site notice earlier this year was declared invalid because an election poster was covering it when council officials arrived out to inspect the notice.
Anyone with information on the robberies or anti-social activity, is encouraged to contact Clondalkin Garda Station at 666 7600.
