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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Nadia Breen

Newtownards bus hijacking: Four arrested as PSNI say incident 'carried out by local faction of UVF'

Police investigating a bus hijacking in Newtownards have arrested four men.

They believe the incident "was carried out by members of a local faction of the UVF".

The incident happened at Abbot Drive on November 1 in an attack linked to loyalist opposition to Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.

At approximately 6.30am, two masked and armed men boarded the Translink bus and poured fuel over the vehicle before setting it alight.

Detectives carried out searches of four properties in Newtownards and Bangor on Friday morning, November 12.

The males aged 36, 41, 48 and 55 years of age have been arrested and taken to a police station for questioning.

PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Saunders said: "Our investigation into this disturbing incident continues alongside an investigation into the more recent hijacking and destruction of a bus in Newtownabbey on Sunday 7th November 2021.

The scene on Abbot Drive in Newtownards. (Jonathan Porter/PressEye)

"Both of these violent and destructive attacks have had an impact on those people who were directly involved in the incidents and also the wider community.

"I appeal to anyone with information about either incident, particularly anyone with mobile phone or dashcam footage which they think may help our investigation, to contact detectives on 101.

"Our visible neighbourhood policing presence will continue in key areas.

"Any information that may help us investigate these crimes can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/.

"Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org."

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