GARDAÍ ARE APPEALING for witnesses after an armed raider stole a substantial amount of money from a cash-in-transit van.

The incident happened at around 4.15pm at a filling station on the Long Mile Road.

An employee was out of the security van and collecting cash from a filling station when he was approached by a lone, masked, and armed raider.

The raider made away with the box of cash, which was said to be a substantial amount of money. RTÉ reports that the amount was €40,000.

He left in a large blue car. A blue car was found burnt out about 10 minutes later in Walkinstown Close and gardaí are treating both incidents as connected. Both scenes are preserved.

There were no injuries reported to have occurred during the incident.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to contact them at any garda station or via the Garda Confidential Line, 1800 666 111.

Meanwhile, detectives from the PSNI are appealing for information following an armed robbery of a cash delivery van in the Longwood Road area of Newtownabbey this afternoon.

Shortly after 2.30pm 2 unknown males, one armed with a knife, threatened a security guard before making off with a cash box containing a sum of money.

The two men made off in a green coloured Ford Fiesta car. The security guard was not injured but police say he was “left badly shaken following the incident”.

Anyone who has any information or who witnessed the robbery is asked to contact detectives at Newtownabbey on 0845 600 8000.

To leave information anonymously, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.