Gardaí were last night searching for three men who robbed a newsagent's shop in Main Street, Moneygall, Co Tipperary, early yesterday morning and were then involved in an 80km high speed chase with gardaí across the midlands.
The raiders eventually crashed their stolen BMW on the M7 close to Kildare town after gardaí used a stinger device. They fled from the car and escaped into nearby fields. A Garda helicopter and a dog unit were dispatched to the scene but no trace was found of the men.
Two other cars were later stolen close to Curragh racecourse and gardaí believe the raiders used the vehicles to return to Dublin. The sum of money stolen is believed to have been less than €300.
Cigarettes taken in the raid were recovered from the BMW.