Belturbet priest recovering following armed burglary

A Belturbet priest and his housekeeper were held captive yesterday (Monday January 28) evening as part of an aggravated burglary by armed thieves who made off with a sum of just over €100. It was the first of two parochial houses to be targeted by the gang who it's believed went on to commit an armed robbery in the Main Street area of Kinawley later that evening. Having had the door opened to them, and armed with a lump hammer and a knife, the three men pushed their way into Monseigneur Michael Cooke's home at the Parochial House on Bridge Street, Belturbet, at approximately 6.45pm on Monday. For 30 minutes, one man held Mgr Cooke and his housekeeper, standing over them with a hammer, while the others ransacked the property in search of money, eventually also making off with mobile phones and car keys before loosely locking the pair in a bathroom. "I'm OK and we're OK," Mgr Cooke told The Anglo-Celt on Tuesday. "I'm not so bad now, I didn't sleep a lot last night, it was going over in my mind, but nobody was hurt seriously and we can thank God for that." Putting a brave face on the situation, Mgr Cooke told The Celt that new securities were introduced for parochial houses some years back and large sums of money are not kept there. "They're behind the times, they're really out of touch, but I think the penny has dropped on them now that there's nothing to be found at Parochial Houses anymore. A few years ago they might have got something alright but not now." Gardaí have admitted that the thieves had some local knowledge of the area having gained access to Mgr Cooke's property via an alley off the main street. They are looking for anyone with information, who may have witnessed three men acting suspiciously in the Bridge Street and Lawn area of Belturbet town on Monday night between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. Descriptions of the three men were given to the Celt. All were described as having Dublin accents and aged in their mid-to-late 20's. The first was a man between 5'10-6ft in height, broad build with stubble and wearing a cap. He had a black jacket, blue jeans and heavy boots on. He was also wearing blue rubber gloves. The second was approximately 6ft tall, slim build, wearing a woolly type jacket and the third was again, approximately 6ft in height, slim build and wearing a dark woolly jacket, jeans and similar rubber gloves. In a similar and believed to be connected incident, police in Enniskillen are appealing for information following an armed robbery in the Main Street area of Kinawley on Monday night. It was reported that shortly before 8pm three males, one carrying a hammer, entered an office in the Parish Hall and demanded money from two females. They made off with a sum of money and a cash box. The two females were not injured but were left badly shaken by the incident. The males were all wearing hooded tops and it is believed they made off in a dark-coloured saloon car. Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to local gardai at 049-9525580 or Enniskillen Police Station on 00448456008000.