Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 10365Attempted robbery · Co. Offaly · 20 Mar 2026

Gardaí appeal over attempted shop robberies in Daingean and Portarlington

Gardaí are appealing for information after two linked attempted robberies on Friday 20 March 2026: one at the Post Office on Main Street in Daingean, Co Offaly, at around 2.45pm, and one at a shop on French Church Street in Portarlington, Co Laois, about an hour later. In Daingean, a man in his late 20s or early 30s, with a second male at the door, demanded money at the counter and threatened to produce a weapon, though none was visible. In Portarlington, a male and a female entered the shop and the male made the same demand and threat, and nothing was taken in either incident. No arrest, charge, court appearance or sentence is reported in the articles, and the latest development is the garda appeal published on 23 March 2026 asking anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them.

  1. Reported23 Mar
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Gardaí are appealing for information after attempted robberies of shops in Offaly and Laois on Friday afternoon, 20 March 2026.
  • In Daingean, a man approached the counter and demanded money while a second male stood at the door.
  • In Portarlington, a male and a female entered the shop and the male demanded money at the counter.
Where
  • The first attempted robbery was at the Post Office on Main Street in Daingean, Co Offaly.
  • The second attempted robbery was at a shop on French Church Street in Portarlington, Co Laois.
When
The Daingean incident happened at around 2.45pm, and the Portarlington attempt took place about an hour later.
Weapon
  • The Daingean man threatened to produce a weapon, but no weapon was visible.
  • The Portarlington man threatened to produce a weapon but did not do so and left the shop empty-handed.
Other details
  • Gardaí described the Daingean man as being in his late 20s or early 30s, wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a black jacket, a black peaked cap and sunglasses, and speaking with a Dublin accent.
  • Both suspects in Daingean fled on foot in the direction of Edenderry, as did the man and woman in Portarlington.
  • The garda appeal was reported in articles published on 23 March 2026.
Investigation
  • Nothing was taken in either attempted robbery, and Gardaí believe the two incidents are connected.
  • Gardaí are asking anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage from either location to contact them.
Charges
The articles report no arrest or charge in connection with either incident.
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGardaí are appealing for information after attempted robberies of shops in Offaly and Laois on a Friday afternoon. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatA man at the Daingean Post Office approached the counter and demanded money. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe Daingean man threatened to produce a weapon, but no weapon was visible. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatIn Portarlington, a male and a female entered the shop, and the male demanded money at the counter. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe Portarlington man threatened to produce a weapon but did not do so, and left the shop empty-handed. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe first incident was at the Post Office on Main Street in Daingean, Co Offaly. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe second incident was an attempted robbery of a shop on French Church Street in Portarlington, Co Laois. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe Daingean incident happened at around 2.45pm. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe Portarlington attempted robbery took place about an hour after the Daingean incident. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationNothing was taken in either attempted robbery. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationGardaí believe the two attempted robberies are connected. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are asking anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage from either location to contact them. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGardaí described the Daingean man as being in his late 20s or early 30s. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherA second male stood at the door of the Daingean Post Office. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherBoth suspects fled the Daingean Post Office on foot in the direction of Edenderry. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe Portarlington man and woman fled on foot in the direction of Edenderry. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Mar2026
    Reportedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Gardaí issue appeal as shops in Offaly and Laois targeted in robberies

    Reports two linked attempted robberies, one in Daingean (Offaly) and one in Portarlington (Laois), on Friday 20 March 2026. Describes suspects and gives garda contact numbers for CCTV or dashcam footage.

    suspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, female