Concern grows for man abducted in broad daylight

GARDAÍ are increasingly concerned at the safety of a man beaten and abducted in broad daylight.

The 29-year-old was set upon by three men at a playground in Dublin’s north inner city late on Thursday afternoon.

He was struck over the head with an iron bar, before managing to run into the front garden of a house.

The victim bled heavily before being dragged into a car and driven off.

The terrifying incident happened on Russell Avenue in East Wall at around 4.45pm.

Some local reports claimed the man said “I’m dead” as he was being thrown into the car.

A Garda spokesman said they were “very concerned” for the man’s safety and a major operation has been put in place to find him as quickly as possible.

Gardaí said the car was described by witnesses as being a black four-door VW Golf, with a 05 D registration plate. It also had a spoiler at the rear, spoked wheels and tinted windows.

A number of witnesses told gardaí it looked like a “boy racer” type car.

Garda teams have been working on the description and are trying to trace its owners and any sightings of it. There have been no reports of a similar car being stolen.

Gardaí are asking people who might have seen a car fitting this description to contact them.

Extensive door-to-door enquiries have been conducted in the East Wall area.

It is thought the victim originally comes from the Blanchardstown area, in north west Dublin, but has been on the fringes of homelessness and drug abuse for a number of years.

Anyone with information should contact the incident room at Store Street Garda Station on 01 6668089, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.