Two men arrested after taxi hijacked in Dublin

Driver was threatened with a knife by the back seat passenger

Two men have been arrested after a Dublin taxi was hijacked this morning. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
Two men have been arrested after a Dublin taxi was hijacked this morning. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times

Two men have been arrested after a Dublin taxi was hijacked this morning.

A taxi was taken by two men, aged 21 and 20 years old, from O’Connell Street in Dublin’s city centre to Ballymun at about 2.30am.

As the driver arrived in Ballymun, the back seat passenger threatened him with a knife, ordered him to get out of the vehicle and the taxi was driven away.

The taxi driver rang the gardaí , who found the car at the Old Airport Road close to Ballymun.

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Two men were found nearby and arrested in connection with the incident. They are in custody at Mountjoy Garda station and gardaí are continuing with investigations.

A small amount of money was stolen. The taxi driver did not suffer any injuries.

Christopher Humphrey, from the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, said there had been about 20 attacks on taxi drivers this year.

“About 12 of these occurring in Dublin and the rest around the county, Cork and Waterford,” he said.

Mr Humphrey said the job was becoming increasingly dangerous for drivers.

Rachel Flaherty

Rachel Flaherty

Rachel Flaherty is Digital Features Editor and journalist with The Irish Times