LAST UPDATE | 27 Apr 2022

GARDAÍ HAVE ARRESTED a suspected burglary gang after a pursuit across Meath and County Kildare earlier today. 

The incident saw specialist units including a dedicated team from a national anti-burglary unit involved. They arrested the men after they crashed in to a supermarket parking area in Naas, County Kildare this evening. 

Officers from the Garda Air Support Unit, the anti-burglary group, Armed Support Unit and other units were involved in the operation which came to an end tonight in Kildare at 8pm.

Sources have said that the gang are suspected of multiple burglaries in recent weeks in Kildare, Meath, Carlow, Kilkenny, and Tipperary.

It is understood the burglaries were at homes, businesses including a bookies and gardaí had begun to work on intelligence on the gang a number of weeks ago.

Sources have said that detectives had put an operation in place today to target the gang, who were driving a high powered SQ5 Audi SUV.

The car was initially spotted in County Meath and then rammed a garda car in County Kildare.

The garda helicopter was called and a so-called “managed containment” operation was put in place. 

The men drove at high speed towards Naas where they lost control of the Audi on a roundabout and rolled the car through a hedge into a parking area of the supermarket. 

No members of the public were injured and the men were treated by paramedics and fire fighters at the scene for minor injuries. They have been arrested. 

A garda spokesperson said five men were arrested in the operation targeting “criminal activity in the Leinster region”.

“This vehicle failed to stop for Gardaí and a managed containment operation ensued.

“This operation concluded shortly before 8pm when the offending vehicle was involved in a single vehicle road traffic collision on the Newbridge Road in Naas, County Kildare.

“Five males were arrested at the scene. Two men, aged in their 20s, are currently being detained at Naas Garda Station under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007.

“Three men, aged in their late teens, 20s and 40s, were taken to hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Investigations are ongoing,” the spokesperson said.