Gardaí investigating the theft this week of two religious artefacts from Holycross Abbey, Co Tipperary, have identified one of the vehicles used by the thieves.
The priceless artefacts were stolen by a gang of three men on Tuesday evening from the abbey.
The vehicle, a wine-coloured Volkswagen Toureg four-by-four, was used by the suspects to leave the scene. It left the scene in the direction of Yellow Lough.
The four-by-four was discovered a short time later two or three miles from the scene at the Yellow Lough, Thurles, where it had been set alight. The vehicle was last seen in Greystones on the March 11th, 2011.
A dark-coloured saloon car was seen in the vicinity of where the VW Touareg was burnt out, travelling at high speed.
One of the relics, which the Vatican claims to be a piece of the crucifix used in Christ’s crucifixion, was handed over to the abbey in the 12th century by King Donal Mór O’Brien, while the other two were presented by St Peter’s Basilica in Rome in 1977.
Anyone with information or may have seen this vehicle since it was last seen on the 11th March 2011 is asked to contact Thurles Garda station on 0504 25100.