Bank denies more than €37.8m was stolen
The Northern Bank rejected claims today that substantially more than £26.5m (€37.8m) was stolen from its Belfast HQ.
Detectives investigating the robbery, which has been blamed on the IRA, are understood to have been told by one member of staff taken hostage as part of the heist that the amount of cash taken was much higher.
A bank spokesman rejected the claim.
He said today: “We had a full forensic audit of the cash centre and it was independently audited by an outside body. The amount taken was £26.5m (€37.8m).”
None of the missing millions has been recovered by police hunting the gang which raided the bank just before Christmas.
It is believed detectives were told by Chris Ward, 23, one of two bank employees taken hostage and later forced to clear out the cash centre, that much more money was taken.
Notes were loaded on to trolleys and then covered with rubbish before being wheeled to a van outside where some members of the gang wearing delivery service uniforms, fleeces, hats and wigs waited.
Mr Ward and the second member of staff, Kevin McMullan, an assistant manager, whose families were held captive during the raid, were issued with mobile phones to keep in constant touch with the robbers.
At one stage Mr Ward was warned: “If you cooperate, everything will be OK. If you don’t, you and your family are dead.”
A gang of at least 20 was involved, police believe.
But even though Chief Constable Hugh Orde has blamed the IRA, there have been no arrests.
With none of the money yet to turn up, Sinn Féin has denied the Provisionals were responsible.
Meanwhile the bank confirmed today that up to 40 members of staff based at their city centre HQ are to be re-located to branches in other parts of Northern Ireland.
They asked to be moved amid fears that the gang involved may have their personal details.
A spokesman said: “It’s for the welfare and safety of staff.”
