An off-duty garda foiled an armed robbery in County Louth. The unarmed garda was threatened at gunpoint while subduing one of the raiders but refused to release the man.

The Irish Independent reports the robbery took place at approximately 3.45pm yesterday afternoon, at the Permanent TSB branch on West Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth.

Two men wearing motorcycle helmets, one armed with a knife and the other with a handgun, conducted the robbery. The pair entered the branch and the man with the knife made his way to a back room where he filled a holdall bag with roughly €4000 in notes. Meanwhile, the man with the gun stood guard at the entrance.

Reports say a passerby spotted the robbery and pulled the man armed with the handgun into the street, at which point the off duty detective became involved and wrestled the armed man to the ground. The second man, carrying the knife, came outside and in the ensuing struggle the gunman broke free and made his way to the pair’s motorcycle. However, the garda, and members of the public now assisting him, had detained the man armed with the knife.

Upon seeing his partner – who had the robbed cash – being held down the armed man returned and pointed his gun at the garda’s head, telling him to let the second robber go. The garda refused and the armed man fled the scene on the bike. The detective held the second man until gardai arrived.

A man in his late 40s was arrested at the scene and detained at Drogheda garda station.