Armed gardai swooped to arrest a pair of thieves who nicked a van in north Dublin before botching a robbery at a house in Louth after a dramatic two-hour chase.
The two men, one in his 20s and the other in his 30s, stole the van from a home in Swords at around 10pm last night.
Gardai intercepted but failed to stop the van which was headed for a home in Ardee, Co Louth to commit another burglary.
The two robbers then fled from the home and were pursued by armed gardai for almost two hours before finally being stopped and arrested back in Swords just after 2am.
The two men have been detained at Coolock Garda Station.
The full garda statement read: "Two men have been arrested by Gardai investigating overnight burglary incidents in Swords, Co Dublin and Ardee, Co Louth.
"At approximately 10pm on Wednesday night, a van was taken in the course of a burglary from a house in Swords. The van was later observed and failed to stop for Garda Units responding to reports of attempted burglary at a house in the Ardee area of Co Louth shortly after midnight.
"Following and lengthy managed containment operation, the van was intercepted on the outskirts of Swords shortly after 2am, by members of the Armed Support Unit (ASU).
"The occupants of the van, two men aged in their 20s and 30s, were arrested. Both are currently detained for questioning at Coolock Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
"The investigation is ongoing and further updates will follow."
For the latest news and breaking news visit dublinlive.ie/news.
Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow us on Twitter @DublinLive - the official Dublin Live Twitter account - real news in real time.
We're also on Facebook/dublinlive - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the capital.
For the latest breaking news, sign up to our free newsletter.
