Dublin feud thug detained in North with five other men on suspicion of burglary

A MAN at the centre of a west Dublin feud who previously survived an attempt on his life has been arrested for being part of a serial burglary gang in Northern Ireland.

The 24-year-old man has been involved in a dispute in Blanchardstown which recently led to a high-profile gun attack.

It has now emerged the serial thief was detained on Sunday in Belfast with five other men.

The men were travelling in a convoy of two cars, one of which was previously stolen from Co Louth and fitted with false number plates. Detectives from the PSNI seized balaclavas and hammers after searching the cars and arrested the six-man gang on suspicion of burglary.

It is understood the Blanchardstown thug remains in custody in Northern Ireland following his arrest.

The gang is suspected of carrying out a number of burglaries in border counties, as well as around the capital.

The criminal was left blind in one eye and on life support for a month after a serious attempt on his life in 2015.

Two brothers are suspected of carrying out the attack which left the man with serious knife wounds.

The men were subsequently charged over the serious assault but the trial collapsed earlier this year, which led to the feud escalating.

Last month the criminal sparked a massive armed garda response after being found in possession of a suspected firearm in the presence of his child.

Members of the Emergency response Unit (ERU) were called in after he was seen cycling through a west Dublin housing estate with the replica handgun, and claimed he had it for his own protection.