Car thief abandons stolen vehicle and escapes on foot
By Maurice Garvey
A JOYRIDER forced an elderly couple off the road and crashed a stolen vehicle into the back of a van before escaping on foot.
The dramatic high-speed chase unfolded in Ballyfermot on Monday, shortly before noon.
Gardaí pursued the suspect from the Clifden Road area towards Ballyfermot Road – with back-up from a garda helicopter in an effort to apprehend the individual.
The joyrider careered dangerously across the wrong side of Ballyfermot Road before crashing into the back of a delivery van at the corner of St Matthew’s Church.
Witnesses said they were amazed nobody was seriously hurt during the incident – the crash occurring on a busy main road.
One eyewitness to the crash said: “The car bounced off the back of the van. The guy was gone, and probably still is because they were still looking for him an hour later. A tow truck was up in five minutes to take away the Mercedes.”
Another eyewitness said: “It looked like the stolen car careered onto the other side of the road and landed in the back of a kitchen appliances van. The guys in the van were okay – gardaí moved them off the road.”
A elderly lady said passengers were “shocked” when the bus she was travelling on was held up due to the crash, whilst residents said they could hear the commotion from Grange Cross.
Gardaí combed the area in an effort to find the individual, who took off towards houses on Ballyfermot Road.
An elderly couple on their way to Tescos were said to be shaken, after the stolen car forced them off Clifden Road.
The couple were not seriously injured during the incident, but neighbours were quick to provide the pair with blankets and support after their ordeal.
A spokesperson for Ballyfermot Garda did not respond to The Echo at the time of going to print.
The Garda Press office were not aware of the incident.
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