Spates of anti-social behaviour in north Dublin took a major turn last night as a local shop was robbed in the area.
Over the last four weeks, troubling gangs have been sparking up fires in Tolka Valley Park on the Ratoath Road but last night it was kicked up a notch when a balaclava gang stormed an Ashtown store.
Officers have launched an investigation into the robbery at the retail premises in Rathborne.
Two people are understood to have entered the premises armed and threatened staff before stealing a sum of cash.
A ganghunt has been launched by Gardai as the bid to stop groups who have been terrorising locals in the area continues.
Around the same time as the robbery, a fire burnt brightly across Tolka Valley Park making it the fourth in as many weeks.
The patches have been torched on March 29, April 1 and 16 before last night's most recent blaze.
One incident saw volunteers who were litter-picking threatened and their bag of rubbish was set on fire.
On another occasion, a local Tidy Towns volunteer met a conservationist and while inspecting the damage, they found the habitat of several special bird species that migrate to here from Africa had been destroyed by the fire.
A Garda spokesman told Dublin Live: "Gardaí are investigating a robbery that occurred at a retail premises in Rathborne.
"Two persons entered the premises and threatened the staff. A sum of cash was taken."
He added: "No arrests have been made. Investigations are ongoing."
