Shot fired at gardaí during pursuit in Kildare

Detectives are continuing to question three men after a shot was fired at gardaí by a suspected burglarly gang during a pursuit in Kildare.

A black Audi - with a partial registration of 151-G - was observed driving at speed at about 9.30pm on Monday through Monasterevin.

The car was followed by gardaí and it stopped at Larch Hill. The front seat passenger got out of the car and fired a shot at gardaí, who escaped injury.

Three men - aged 23, 27 and 32 - who were travelling in a silver Hyundai were then stopped at 10.30pm at Pollardstown, Newbridge and were arrested in relation to the incident.

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They are currently being detained at Portlaoise and Tullamore Garda stations under the provisions of Section 30 Offences Against the State Act 1939. It is believed the men may have been on the way to carry out a burglary.

Local Fianna Fáil county councillor Suzanne Doyle said she was in the Monasterevin area on Monday night and the “Garda presence was incredible”.

“I didn’t really know what happened at the time but it’s shocking to hear. It also shows the types of pressure gardaí are faced with on top of their regular day-to-day policing duties,” she said.

Gardaí issued a warning last week to the public to be vigilant after a spate of burglaries by travelling criminals who have stolen tens of thousands of euro in cash and jewellery in the past month.

Supt Mick Comyns of Mayfield Garda station in Cork said a gang was using high-powered cars to drive from the greater Dublin area and target homes in Cork when homeowners are out. He said there had been 40 burglaries in Mayfield Garda district since October 8th.

Separately, a farmer in his mid-50s was beaten and locked in a shed during an aggravated burglary in Co Offaly on Saturday morning. Four men forced their way into the man’s rural farmhouse at Glasderry beg, Brosna near Birr at around 2am. He was beaten and dragged out to a barn where he was tied up.

The culprits, who also beat the victims’ dog, fled the scene with a small sum of money. Gardaí, who have appealed for information, said the burglars, who had Munster accents, used a high-powered 4X4 vehicle.