Gardai have busted a 'Walter Mitty' armed robber who is the chief suspect for at least four raids on businesses in north Co Dublin over the space of just four weeks.
The criminal is now in custody for breaching his bail conditions in relation to separate charges in the west of Ireland.
The individual was arrested last week after a special operation by gardai from Swords Garda station.
It emerged last night that the convicted thief, who is aged in his 40s, is the chief suspect for a spate of armed robberies in which employees were threatened at knife point.
Sources said that gardai are "very hopeful" of pressing charges for the north Co Dublin robberies, because excellent CCTV coverage of the "unusual looking suspect" has been obtained.
"This fella is not your typical criminal," the source said.
"He comes from a relatively privileged background but he has made a real nuisance of himself.
"He is known as a 'Walter Mitty' type because he is deluded and has convinced himself that he has lived an honest, working life.
"This is not the case at all and he has already served jail time for similar offences when he went on a robbery spree in the Malahide and Coolock areas over 10 years," the source explained.
Hapless
The Swords man is the chief suspect for two armed robberies in his native town on June 11 and July 4.
In the course of these robberies, €70 was taken from a bookies and around €200 from a food premises.
He is also suspected of two attempted armed robberies on the same day - July 11, in Lusk and Malahide - but the hapless criminal failed to get any money in the Malahide raid.