Mobile PO Robbed

There have now been two post office robberies within 24 hours.

The police have appealed for witnesses to a second robbery to contact them after a post office worker was threatened at gunpoint during the incident in Co Armagh.

Two men, one armed with a sawn-off shotgun, entered a mobile post office at Derrynoose Road in Keady shortly before 1.45pm on Thurday.

The men forced the staff member to hand over a sum of money and then escaped in a silver Renault Laguna car.

The PSNI are already on alert for two masked and armed robbers and a getaway driver who menaced staff at Hilltown Road PO in Mayobridge before escaping with a sum of cash on Wednesday.

Now, the SDLP Mayor of Armagh City and District Council, Councillor Thomas O'Hanlon has condemed the incident.

Councillor O'Hanlon, who represents the Derrynoose area, said: "The armed robbery of this mobile post office is a cowardly attack on the people of this rural community.

"It is a constant battle with government agencies and departments to provide any services in isolated rural communities such as Derrynoose.

"His community lost its vital post office as part of the rationalisation of the Post Office network and was replaced with a mobile post office twice a week.

"This is a vital service and I fear actions such as this today could put vital services at risk," he said.

"This must have been a terrible ordeal for the staff involved, and our thoughts are with them tonight.

"I want to appeal to the local community and indeed anyone in the area who seen anyone suspicious in and around the time of the robbery to come forward and assist the PSNI locally," he concluded.

Commenting for the second time this week, a PO spokesperson said: "Post Office Ltd confirm there was an armed robbery on a mobile post office in the Derrynoose area on Thursday 17 September.

"Thankfully no-one was seriously hurt but the staff were traumatized by the experience and our priority is to provide support for all concerned.

"We are giving full assistance to the police as they investigate the incident and would encourage anyone with information to come forward," he said.

See: Post Offices Robbed

(BMcC/GK)