Gardaí have arrested a Limerick businessman whom they suspect was involved in a spate of armed raids on filling stations in Co Clare, Co Limerick, Tipperary and Cork over the past month.
Detectives arrested the 49-year-old when they foiled an attempted raid on a Gala shop at Larkin’s Cross, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare at 11.30pm on Monday.
It’s understood that gardaí recovered a rifle and the man was arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and brought to Henry Street Garda Station in Limerick for questioning about the raids.
The attempted raid was the fourth in as many days and followed similar hold ups at three filling stations in Cork city and county over the weekend.
Gardai believe the same man, who is from Co Limerick and was not known to them prior to this crime spree, held up filling stations in Bishopstown in Cork city and Mallow and Midleton in Co Cork.
He is also being investigated for up to eight similar type filling station robberies in Co Limerick and Co Tipperary over the past month or so when staff were ordered to hand over money at gunpoint.
It’s understood that gardaí believe the man was using his own private car as a getaway vehicle and gardaí in Mitchelstown captured a partial registration number earlier this month which helped them trace the vehicle.
Early on Sunday morning a man - who was wearing a balaclava and armed with a handgun - held up staff at the Topaz filling station on the Whitegate Road in Midleton and made off with a small sum of cash.
Gardaí believe the same man was behind raids on the Topaz garage on the Limerick Road in Mallow at 1am and on the Amber Garage on the Bandon Road in Cork at 4.45am, both on Saturday morning.
Gardaí studied CCTV footage from the Mallow raid and noticed the man was well dressed and wore leather shoes while they also suspected he was not an experienced robbery from his behaviour on the night.
Under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, a suspect can be held for up to 48 hours before they have to be arrested or charged with an offence.
