GARDAI launched their helicopter as part of a major operation after an end of school year prank went wrong. A series of unruly celebrations have damaged the reputations of some of Dublin's best-known schools.
Teenagers at the exclusive St Mary's College in Rathmines are facing serious disciplinary action after a male student was found half-naked tied to a pole a few miles away.
The incident is one of a number of pranks in recent days that have damaged the reputation of high profile schools.
In the most serious incident, a student was stripped to his underpants, covered in shaving foam and bundled into a car in what appeared to a passer-by to be a kidnapping attempt.
Gardai were called to investigate and found the student tied to a pole in the grounds of the all-girls Muckross Park School in nearby Donnybrook.
Alert
The prank was carried out by a small number of students and prompted a major garda alert which even involved the garda helicopter.
The semi-naked student was shoved into a car and driven to the nearby school where he was tied with duct tape to a pole.
A woman who witnessed the incident phoned the emergency services, believing the youngster had been kidnapped.
A number of gardai were dispatched to deal with the out-of-control prank.
The perpetrators are expected to be subjected to serious disciplinary action but it is not clear whether gardai are planning further action.
The prank is one of a number of recent incidents involving students in posh Dublin schools.
In nearby High School in Rathgar, school bosses expelled three students and called off a graduation ceremony after students held what was described as a 'rave'.
A number of pupils infuriated school authorities after padlocking themselves into a common room and playing very loud music.
It is understood that there were a number of "exchanges" between staff and students which led to formal disciplinary action.
Expelled
Three students were immediately expelled with parents of all sixth year students receiving a text message to inform them that end-of-year celebrations had been cancelled.
The incidents at the two South Dublin schools follow a spate of unruly behaviour in schools across the capital.
The Herald reported last Thursday that four students -- including the son of a TD -- were expelled from Oatlands College in Stillorgan after an investigation into "vile remarks on Facebook".
The four boys were informed of the school's decision at a specially convened meeting earlier last week.
Gardai were also called to investigate unruly behaviour at a school in Skerries in North Dublin which involved students throwing eggs and water bombs.
See Sinead Ryan page 16