For further information:
Louise Zayed
Senior Press Officer
Tel: +353 1 419 3428
louise.zayed@tv3.ie
Kevin Shore
Press Officer
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kevin.shore@virginmedia.ie
publicity@tv3.ie
TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Thursday 5th March, 2015
TV3 examines the biggest cash robbery to ever take place in Ireland in new documentary series.
This eye-opening series delves into the records and reconstructs some of Ireland’s greatest robberies in detail, discovering why they sent shockwaves across the country.
The second episode looks at the infamous bank robbery in which 26 million pounds was stolen from the Northern Bank in Belfast City centre in December 2004.
The raid involved the tiger kidnapping of two bank employees families by a ruthless gang.
‘Life Stories: Ireland’s Greatest Robberies’ episode 2 airs Monday 9th March at 9pm on TV3.
Interviews are available on request.
Video link to view the second episode is available on request.
TV3’s brand new strand of Monday night home-grown programming entitled ‘Life Stories’ has kicked off with the eye-opening crime series, Ireland’s Greatest Robberies.
Ireland’s Greatest Robberies is a brand new four-part series giving a factual insight into some of the most ambitious and exciting heists to ever occur in Irish History. The documentary series looks at the detail and precision that went in to carrying out these robberies, from the planning stages right through to their execution and aftermath.
The second episode of this series presented by Jim McCabe, examines the biggest cash robbery to ever take place in Ireland in which £26 million was stolen from the Northern Bank in Belfast City centre in December 2004.
The raid involved the tiger kidnapping of two bank employees families by a ruthless gang, and while they were held hostage the two bank workers were forced to go in to the Northern Bank where they worked and remove as much cash as possible from the banks vaults, which stored millions of pounds in cash. The gang got away with just over £26 million, launching one the biggest police investigations to find the missing cash and the culprits who carried out the crime. While no major evidence was coming to light during the investigation, the finger was pointed at the Provisional IRA.
The series also looks at the robbery of O’Connor’s Jewellery factory in Harold’s Cross, Dublin in 1983 when approximately £1.5million worth of jewellery was stolen as well as the £2.8 million Brinks Allied heist in North Dublin in 1995. The Brinks Allied heist showed a new level of ruthlessness as a young bank employee’s girlfriend and her family were tiger kidnapped and held hostage while the bank worker was forced to steal as much cash as possible from the Bank of Ireland on College Green in Dublin City Centre. The gang got away with €7.6million.
The final robbery examined was the first major stand-off between an armed gang and the Gardaí in Emily Square in Athy in 1990, when a gang who were becoming professional at armed raids, finally met their fate at the hands of the Gardaí.
Throughout the series we delve in to the records and reconstruct these robberies in detail discovering how exactly these heists were carried out and why they sent shockwaves across the country.
In addition to Ireland’s Greatest Robberies, TV3’s new ‘Life Stories’ strand boasts a number of new series including Dáil on the Dole, a landmark documentary series that will follow four TDs as they experience life for families in their own constituencies, some of whom are surviving on social welfare; Revolution in Colour, a two-part documentary which will, for the first time, tell the story of Ireland during 1913-1923 using newly commissioned High Definition digital transfers of British Pathé newsreel that will be restored and colourised, and Get the Numbers Write, a three-part series following five people across a six week accredited course as they strive to improve their literacy skills.
‘Life Stories: Ireland’s Greatest Robberies’ episode 2 airs Monday 9th March at 9pm on TV3.
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ENDS
For further information
Ciara Byrne – Press Officer – 01 419 3329/087 319 9732
Jean O’Donovan – Press & Publicity Assistant – 01 419 3428
Sharon McHugh – Head of Press & Publicity – 087 922 4143
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