The global security concern and police have reissued an appeal for information about the incident which began in Crossgar, County Down on Halloween evening and ended the following morning (Tuesday 1 November) in Belfast.
To assist with the investigation, detectives from the Serious Crime Branch have issued photos of the house where the female G4S employee was held captive as well as images of the vehicles involved in this incident in the hope of jogging people’s memories about the crime.
The incident began sometime between 7.30 pm and 8.30 pm on Monday 31 October when a number of armed and masked men entered a house on the Drumaghlis Road in Crossgar. The couple who lived there were tied up and had hoods put on them.
They were held in their home for about one hour before the husband was taken away in his own car – a black Mini One registration number RE08 RYO. The woman was kept apart from her husband and taken in a stolen blue Honda Civic (bearing the registration number YR55 KAK) to a derelict house at Myrtlefield Park in South Belfast where she was kept in a cupboard. Both the man and woman were held captive overnight.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, at around 4.20 am, the man was driven in his car by members of the gang to the Mayfield area of Glengormley off Hightown Road. The man was told to drive his own car to his place of work (a cash delivery company) and take an amount of money to Boucher Place in Belfast.
At 7.30 am on the Tuesday morning, the man went to Boucher Place where he was met by a member of the gang driving the Honda Civic car. Before any money was handed over, the Honda Civic drove off.
At 9.00 am the woman freed herself from the house in Myrtlefield Park, South Belfast and raised the alarm.
Appeal for information from the Serious Crime Branch
Detectives from the Serious Crime Branch are asking anyone with information to contact them.
In particular, they are keen to hear from anyone who can help with information about activity at the following locations:
Horrific experience for the couple involved
Chairman of the Crimestoppers Committee for Northern Ireland, Paul Leighton, commented: “This was an incredibly horrific experience for the couple involved, and the individuals who committed this crime should be punished for their actions.”
Leighton added: “It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that nobody has been brought to justice for this heinous offence, and for that reason I would urge members of the public to come forward with information and pass it onto Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or through our secure online Giving Information Form.”
The reward of up to GB pound 25,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved in this particular incident.
If you have any information please contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through the website secure online Giving Information Form. Alternatively, contact the police on 028 9056 1812.
Further information on Crimestoppers
Crimestoppers is an independent charity which helps the police to solve crimes, making communities safer. It does this by operating the 24/7 telephone number 0800 555 111 which people can ring to pass on information about crimes anonymously.
Around 23 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.
Since Crimestoppers began in 1988 it has received over one million actionable calls resulting in more than 108,000 arrests and charges. Over GB pound 115 million worth of goods has been recovered and over GB pound 213 million worth of drugs has been seized.
In 2005, Crimestoppers launched the ‘UK’s Most Wanted’ on its website which allows the public to view images of criminals and pass on vital information about their whereabouts. It has been highly successful, with over 1,000 arrests to date.
Crimestoppers UK was founded by Lord Ashcroft KCMG, the Chairman of Trustees. In 1988, he launched Crimestoppers in the Metropolitan Police area.
Crimestoppers’ ‘call to action’ is built on a three-way partnership between the business community, the police and the media
