Brothers on trial in connection with raid on cash van
The trial of two Dublin brothers accused of stealing €600,000 from a cash van after ramming it with a teleporter has begun hearing evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David and Michael Kelleher of Belcamp Avenue, Priorswood have pleaded not guilty to the robbery of cash from Robert Bolger, the driver of a Securicor van at Donaghmede Shopping Centre on March 28, 2006.
Ms Tara Burns BL, prosecuting, said a large number of civilian witnesses would give evidence in the trial.
She told the jury it would hear evidence that approximately €600,000, which was being transferred to stock ATMs at Dunnes Stores in the shopping centre, was taken in the robbery.
She said there would be evidence that a teleporter rammed the front windscreen of the Securicor van, that three raiders were seen and at least one had a gun.
Ms Burns also said the court would hear that two had balaclavas on and that three men got into the Securicor van and took bags of money, put them into a hold-all bag and escaped.
She said the court would hear two men left the shopping centre and got into a Golf GTI.
Ms Burns also said it would hear evidence of the journey and destination of that car before it was abandoned at a green area at Sarto Road, Sutton by its occupants.
The driver of the Securicor van, Mr Robert Bolger, said he arrived at the shopping centre at 1.30pm-1.45pm to supply cash to the two ATM machines in Dunnes Stores.
He said cash was in the lockers of the van and was taken out by his co-worker who then got out of the van.
He said the windscreen was shattered and he hit his head inside the van after which he “couldn’t see a thing”.
“A guy outside was telling me to throw out the money etc. etc.,” he said. “I thought one of them had a gun but I‘m not sure”.
Mr Bolger said he saw three men wearing balaclavas and two got into the van where the money was sitting on the floor. He said he believed the amount of cash was €600,000.
Ms Bernie Farrell, who was also working for Securicor on that day, said she parked her car and scouted the carpark before going to the customer service desk in Dunnes Stores. She said she did not see the incident itself.
Mr Ciaran Maher gave evidence that he was in the shopping centre that day. He said went out to his car at the side of the building and was about to drive around the back when a vehicle appeared 20 yards in front of him.
He said it went straight into the Securicor van and he saw two men wearing balaclavas come out of the vehicle.
Mr Maher said “one went straight through the window” and “one was carrying a gun by the looks of it.”
Liam Murray who was with Mr Maher on the day in question said a yellow crane drove in front of them.
“The claw came down and smashed the window on the front of the van,” said Mr Murray.
He said a gun was pointed in the window of the van and that the raiders were wearing yellow jackets and had their faces covered.
A number of other witnesses gave evidence of a Volkswagen Golf GTI speeding past them. The court heard it was abandoned over a mile away at Sarto Road near Sutton.
The trial is expected to last one week before Judge Patrick McCartan.
