Armed gang holds three hostage

The woman was told to empty the safe at her place of work

Two men and a woman are recovering after they were hooded and held hostage overnight by a gang of armed men.

Police are hunting for up between six and 10 robbers who abducted the three people after forcing their way into a house in Castlederg, County Tyrone, on Sunday at about 2100 BST.

They put hoods on the husband and wife and a neighbour who was in the house at the time.

They then drove them away in a van to an unknown location, thought to be in Donegal.

'Well planned'

On Monday, the woman was forced to drive to her place of work, an Iceland supermarket at Railway Street, Strabane.

She was ordered to empty the safe and deliver it to a church in Lifford.

The two men were later released and were found, walking barefoot, through the village of Clady.

The gang is believed to have escaped with several thousand pounds.

Detective Inspector John Gilmour said it was a well planned robbery.

"Without the assistance of the public, these people are going to continue this type of crime," he said.

"At this stage, we have no information to indicate whether it was paramilitary or ordinary criminal elements. All lines of inquiry are open and anyone with information should phone us as a matter of urgency."