A Killucan shopkeeper, who was viciously beaten by three thugs as she opened her shop on Monday of this week, has said they will not win.
by Ronan Casey
Despite being hospitalised after the attack, Joan Carey was back behind her counter on Monday afternoon, determined to not let the thieves have their way.
Mrs Carey, who runs the popular Careys XL Stop and Shop right in the centre of the picturesque village, had only a few served her first customer of the day and was putting the newspapers out at approximately 6:30am when three men, their faces covered and identities concealed with gloves and scarves, entered the shop carrying lump hammers and a crow- bar.
One of the men demanded cash and brave Joan resisted them, trying to get to the shop alarm before she was struck in the temple with one of the lump hammers and kicked in the upper body as she fell to the shop floor.
She bravely held off the men and managed to set off the alarm. The men then attacked the tills, taking two trays containing a small amount of cash. They tried to steal cigarettes and in the end, they got just two packs. They also stole Mrs Carey’s handbag containing her phone, etc.
Brave Joan got to her feet as the three ran from the shop to their car, which Topic understands had been stolen in Dublin the night before.
One of the men – the main aggressor – spoke with a Dublin accent. The other two kept quiet throughout the horrific attack on the decent shopkeeper, whose well-looked after business is a magnet for locals and has a real community spirit and atmosphere to it.
All that was shattered on Monday morning and as Gardaí arrived, Mrs Carey was brought to Mullingar Regional Hospital to be treated for her injuries. She sustained serious bruising and shock,
Gardaí are currently studying extensive CCTV footage from the area, inside and outside the shop and from the street, as they try to track down the callous thieves.
They have appealed to Topic for any witnesses who may have seen any suspicious activity in the area at the time of the robbery – and even at other times – to come forward and help them with their enquiries.
Five people are employed at the popular shop, and customers were shocked that such a robbery could happen in the normally quiet village.
As Mrs Carey returned to the shop following her hospitalisation on Monday, dozens of locals streamed in to check on her and offer their support.
One local man told us “you would not expect something like this to happen in Killucan, but thank God, Joan is okay. If I got my hands on those lads, they would not be okay, I’ll tell you that.”
Others spoke glowingly of the shop and its staff and hoped Gardaí can apprehend the thugs. The shop was subject to a similar burglary on the Bank Holiday weekend of August 2013. However, those burglars were apprehended and only recently appeared before Mullingar District Court.
