The PSNI has appealed for public assistance in apprehending the gang behind a £200,000 (€293,000) bank robbery in Belfast yesterday.
The execution of the robbery, which took place at the Ulster Bank at Carlisle Circus in north Belfast yesterday morning, was similar in format - if not in scale - to the £26.5 million robbery at the Northern Bank in December 2004.
When asked if there was suspicion of paramilitary involvement, the PSNI would only say that "inquiries were at an early stage".
The partner and child of a bank employee were held hostage while he was ordered to go to the bank as normal, carry out the money in a holdall and leave it at a designated place where the gang collected it, the PSNI said.
The three-man gang broke into the bank official's house in the Alliance Avenue area of north Belfast at about 6.30am yesterday.
"His partner was tied up and she and the one-year-old child were kept upstairs whilst the member of staff was taken downstairs and a hood was placed over his head.
"He was given instructions and at 8.30am approximately he left the house and made his way to the bank," a police spokeswoman said.
"At 10.10am he left the bank with a rucksack/holdall-type bag containing a substantial sum of cash," she added.
The sum taken is believed to be about £200,000.
The woman and child were later freed. The official and his partner were said to be very distressed by their experience.
Police said they were keen to hear from anyone who was in the area of Carlisle Circus, Clifton Street or Henry Place yesterday morning between 9.30am and 10.30am.
