Would-be thief stabs car-owner in arm

A young motorist is recovering in hospital after being stabbed by a teenager who tried to steal his car in the car park of a busy shopping centre.

The man, who is in his early 20s, had an artery in his arm severed when he was knifed by the youth at 8.30pm in the carpark of the Parkway Shopping Centre in Limerick last night.

The victim said he was returning to his car when he noticed the youth attempting to steal it. The youth, who is around 18 years of age, fled but the scene but returned seconds later armed with a knife.

He stabbed the car-owner, who had got into his car, in the arm and again fled the scene on foot.

According to gardaí, the owner of the car suffered a serious injury to his arm and was rushed to the Mid Western Regional hospital.

"An artery in his arm was severed in the attack, which was most serious," said a Garda spokesman.

Gardaí have appealed to anyone who was in the busy shopping area at the time and who may have witnessed the incident to contact Henry Street Garda Station on [phone].