VICIOUS thugs carried out a violent raid on a Northside business last week leaving staff and customers terrified.
The latest in a series of violent robberies in Dublin North East took pace at the Centra shop in Clongriffin last Tuesday (August 19) at 7pm when two men made off with a sum of money.
A spokesman for the Garda Press Office told Northside People that the men assaulted shop workers during the raid, leaving at least one staff member hospitalised with minor injuries.
“Two off duty gardai arrested three suspects travelling in a car later that night and took them to Coolock Garda Station for questioning,” he said.

“The men have since been released on bail and a file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).”
This latest robbery is just one in a series of attacks on businesses within a small radius in Dublin North East in the last seven weeks, with serious hits including:
l July 3: An armed robbery took place on the Howth Road, Clontarf. Security company staff were servicing an ATM when they were held up by at least two raiders.
Cash was stolen from the security staff and the two suspects made their getaway in a four-wheel drive/jeep type vehicle.    
l July 17: An armed robbery took place at Bayside Shopping Centre. Two men carrying what appeared to be a sawn off shotgun approached a cash transit van.
Cash was stolen from the security staff and the two suspects made their getaway on a motorbike.
l July 22: Three armed men made a botched attempt at raiding a branch of the Bank of Ireland on the Malahide Road at Northern Cross.
The raiders, unable to access the bank’s time-locked safe, were forced to flee empty handed.
l August 5: An armed robbery took place at Kilbarrack Post Office. Two men entered the post office and demanded money.
The raiders got away with an undisclosed amount of cash and made their getaway in a 96D registered Nissan 100x that was located a short time later abandoned on Beechbrook Grove.
The latest robbery has led to calls for a new Garda station to be built in Dublin 13 to serve an ever-growing area that has seen 25,000 houses built in Donaghmede, Clongriffin and the North Fringe areas in recent years.
Donaghmede ward councillor Killian Forde (SF) said: “Coolock Garda Station is one of the busiest around so establishing a new local station for Donaghmede is now an imperative.
“Gardai at Coolock are already very busy dealing with problems in the areas it covers and we need a stronger Garda presence on the streets to serve as a deterrent to these criminals.”
As of May of this year, there were 41 gardai stationed at Howth, 69 in Raheny and 118 in Coolock.
Cllr Forde said these figures must now be increased to keep up with population changes.
“The new Superintendent is doing good work improving Garda presence in communities but I think it’s time this area got its own station,” he added.
Dublin North East TD Tommy Broughan (Lab) has called on Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, to deploy more gardai in the area and has also demanded that a new Garda station be built in Dublin 13.
However, Minister Ahern said he didn’t feel there was a need to create a new station, as the area received “sufficient” coverage.
“I am advised by the Garda authorities that local Garda management is satisfied that a full and comprehensive policing service is being delivered to the Clongriffin area,” Minister Ahern stated.
“The area also receives additional patrols from personnel attached to the District Detective Unit, Divisional Task Force, Divisional Traffic Unit and the Community Policing Unit. 
“I am further advised that the opening of a new Garda station in the Clongriffin area would be incompatible with contemporary policing policy in the Division and would result in valuable Garda resources being diverted from outdoor, operational policing to indoor administration duties.”
Minister Ahern said Garda personnel assigned throughout the country, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are continually monitored and reviewed.
“Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources and the best possible service is provided to the public,” he added.  
“The situation will be kept under review and when additional personnel next become available, the needs of Coolock Garda Station and the Dublin Metropolitan North Division will be fully considered within the overall context of the needs of Garda stations throughout the country.”