Lord Mayor helps to catch fleeing burglary suspect in city centre
DUBLIN Lord Mayor Nial Ring is being hailed a hero after catching a fleeing burglary suspect in the city centre.
The mayor was on his way to launch the St Patrick’s Day festival yesterday afternoon when he noticed a young man running down Peter Street, near St Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin’s city centre.
Eyewitnesses say the incident followed a suspected break-in at nearby apartment complex Cannon Court, on Bride Street, before noon.
Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Ring said he saw one man chasing another when he decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I quickly told my driver to stop the car a few metres ahead of the man in a bid to cut him off at the end of the street,” he said.
“There was someone else chasing him, shouting ‘stop, thief’, so I knew something
quite serious must have happened.
“When I got out of my car, the man was out of breath and had basically given up by the time myself and another man grabbed him.
“He wasn’t going anywhere as there were three of us surrounding him.”
Mr Ring added that in less than a minute gardaí arrived at the scene and arrested the individual.
“I wish I could say this guy was a 6ft 6in body builder, but he was only a small enough lad in his early 20s,” he said.
“It was the first time I’ve helped to make a citizen’s arrest, but it was certainly less dramatic than it all sounds.”
Staff at Marsh’s Library on St Patrick’s Close, who witnessed the incident, posted what they saw on Twitter.
“Wow! Our staff just spotted and chased an *alleged* burglar coming out of a neighbouring building. Running up Peter Street the guy was arrested by none other than the Lord Mayor of Dublin who happened to be in the area.”
A Garda spokesperson confirmed the incident to the Irish Independent.
“Gardaí in Kevin St are investigating a burglary which occurred shortly before midday on February 12, 2019, at Cannon Court, Bride Street. A male in his 20s entered a premises. The suspect was subsequently detained and arrested by gardaí on mobile patrol,” they said.