Gardaí question two men over series of armed raids in Cork

Gardaí in Cork are continuing to question two men arrested in connection with a series of burglaries and armed raids on a filling station and two shops in the east Cork area Tuesday morning.

Gardaí believe the crime spree began with a burglary when a black Toyota Avensis was stolen between 2am and 4am from a house at Pinecroft in Douglas on the southside of Cork city.

They believe the men used the car to carry out a burglary at the Boot House pub in Glanmire sometime between 5am and 7am before committing another burglary in the Brooklodge area.

The men stole a black Ford Kuga and travelled to Fermoy where they threatened staff at the Topaz garage on the Dublin Road with a knife before making off with a sum of cash around 7am.

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They then drove back to Watergrasshill where they threatened staff with a knife at a Centra shop before again making off with a sum of cash and making their getaway in the Ford Kuga.

They then drove towards Knockraha where they held up staff at another store before driving back towards Cork city as gardaí mounted a major operation to try and apprehend them.

The Ford Kuga was spotted at several locations in the city and a number of minor pursuits took place before the car was found abandoned at the rear of a flat complex on the Boreenamanna Road.

Gardaí mounted a search operation and arrested two men not far from the scene of the abandoned Ford Kuga at around 11.30am on Tuesday and they were taken to the Bridewell Garda Station for questioning.

The two men, who are in their mid 30s and originally from Mayfield on Cork's northside, were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice act which allows suspects be held for up to 24 hours

Gardaí later recovered the stolen black Toyota Avensis in the Brooklodge area of Glanmire and Garda technical experts have begun a forensic examination of both cars and all six crime scenes.

It is understood that no one was injured in any of the raids or burglaries and that the men gang got less than €1,000 in total. Gardaí later recovered an equivalent sum of money.