Old couple wake to find thugs in bedroom

Burglaries are on the rise

By Robin Schiller

An elderly couple were terrorised in their home by a masked gang before the thugs led gardai on a chase in a stolen car.

The pensioners' ordeal began shortly before 3am on Sunday while they were in bed.

Two men wearing balaclavas and believed to be brandish hammers entered the house in Celbridge, Co Kildare.

The couple, who are in their 70s, were shocked when they woke to see the men at the foot of their bed.

lookout

The thugs threatened the couple and demanded the keys to their BMW which was parked in the driveway.

A third man who is believed to have been acting as a lookout then joined his accomplices and all three made off in the stolen car.

Gardai were alerted and tried to pursue the vehicle, which sped out of Celbridge. The suspects ditched it in the Ronanstown estate in Clondalkin and ran off.

Celbridge gardai have made three arrests. Three men aged 41, 38 and 28 were detained yesterday and are being held at Leixlip and Lucan Garda Stations.

hnews@herald.ie