Gardai are searching for three men who terrorised and robbed an elderly man in Co Limerick on Wednesday night.
Mr Kevin Hayes (74) lived alone in a bungalow at Ballyguy, Murroe. According to gardai, one attacker was aged between 15 and 16 and the other two were in their 20s. All wore balaclavas.
A Garda spokesman said: "They roughed him up and threatened him with violence. He suffered shock but had no physical injuries. "The house was ransacked. This was the first such attack on an elderly person for some time".
The attackers burst through the victim's door at midnight and fled with £500 in cash. It is reported that they threatened him with a hacksaw.
Mr Hayes was recovering at his home and did not need hospital treatment. The attackers made off on foot, but gardai believe they had an escape vehicle nearby.
Meanwhile, gardai are involved in ongoing investigations into the murder of Co Clare farmer Mr Paud Skehan, who died after he was attacked at his home in Bridgetown on April 9th-10th last.
The Irish Farmers' Association has offered a £10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the killers of the bachelor, who lived alone.