Millions stolen from N. Irish bank

A gang held the families of two Northern Ireland bank officials hostage for 24 hours before stealing more than £20 million in one of Britain's biggest ever robberies, police said yesterday.

The employees were forced to hand over the money from a cash centre at the headquarters of Northern Bank, in central Belfast, after close of business on Monday by raiders who had taken over their homes on Sunday night.

"Two families have suffered great trauma as a result of the actions of these criminals," Northern Ireland's Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid told reporters.

Mr Kinkaid said the exact amount taken was not yet known as the bank was still conducting an audit, but said it "may be in excess of £20 million". Earlier a source familiar with the case had estimated the total could be as high as £30 million.

Police said they were still investigating whether one of Northern Ireland's paramilitary groups, which remain heavily involved in crime despite observing ceasefires in the province's long-running sectarian conflict, had been involved in the raid.

"Clearly this is a well-organised crime, there's absolutely no doubt about that," said Mr Kinkaid.

"Whether it is in any way associated with paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, we haven't sufficient information for us to make any assessment on that at present."

Britain's biggest-ever raid was a 1987 break-in at a Knightsbridge safe deposit centre in London when £60 million were stolen. In 1983, 26 million were taken in a raid on a Brinks-Mat vault at London's Heathrow airport.

Northern Bank is the largest retail bank in Northern Ireland, with 95 branches in the British-ruled province.