Updated 22.45

AN OFF DUTY garda foiled a cash in transit robbery in Meath yesterday after witnessing the crime and following the culprits to a nearby housing estate.

Shortly after noon, a security worker collecting cash at a shopping centre in Ratoath, was approached by a man with what appeared to be a firearm. The man, dressed in black, demanded the cash box and fled with it to a waiting grey Renault Kangoo van which was driven by a second man.

The two sped away from the scene but an off duty garda saw what happened and followed the van to a housing estate where he boxed it in with his own car. Gardaí said the suspects got out of the van and pointed the gun at the unarmed garda.

After a brief stand-off, the men dropped the gun and the cash box and fled into nearby fields. A search of the area was mounted but so far the two men have not been arrested. During a follow-up search of a house at Streamstown in Ratoath, items of black clothing, which gardaí believe were involved in the robbery, were recovered.

Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to contact Ashbourne Garda Station on 01 8010600.

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Read: Two men charged following cash-in-transit robbery>