Gardaí awarded bravery medals for confronting armed Crumlin robbery suspects

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Garda David Currivan and Garda Cathal McGeoghan were each awarded a Bronze Medal and Certificate of Bravery for their actions during an armed robbery in Crumlin, according to the bravery-award citation.

The citation said two men wearing balaclavas entered the Spar shop on Clogher Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12 at 8.45pm on 30 November 2015. Armed with a metal bar and a meat cleaver, they threatened two employees and members of the public before fleeing with money.

A member of the public alerted the gardaí, who were in a patrol car nearby. When ordered to halt, both suspects raised their weapons and advanced towards Garda Cathal McGeoghan, who used pepper spray. The suspects fled, discarding money and disguises while retaining their weapons.

Garda David Currivan drove ahead to block their escape routes. One suspect tried to strike Garda Cathal McGeoghan with the metal bar. The garda used pepper spray again, tackled him, disarmed him and arrested him.

The second suspect unsuccessfully attempted to strike Garda David Currivan with the meat cleaver. He then ran towards Garda Cathal McGeoghan in what appeared to that garda to be an attempt to free the arrested suspect. Garda Cathal McGeoghan again deployed pepper spray.

The second suspect escaped over a wall and was subsequently spotted moving through nearby gardens by the Garda Air Support Unit. He was promptly arrested. All the stolen money was recovered from the suspects or their immediate vicinity.