Gang member beats man with bat and steals his car

A MEMBER of a “ruthless and very violent gang” beat a householder around the head and body with a baseball bat and stole his car as they tried to evade gardaí after carrying out a string of robberies early yesterday.

The gang are believed to be responsible for a recent spate of robberies in Co Cork, which included one in Mallow three weeks ago when they locked two men in a container at the back of a service station.

Inspector Pat McCarthy said that at 3am yesterday a delivery driver noticed the front door of the Centra supermarket in Tallow, Co Waterford, was open. Armed gardaí from Fermoy were dispatched to the scene and came across a Tipperary-registered blue Volvo with four balaclava-wearing men in it.