Gardaí on hunt for 'ruthless' gang who kidnapped bank official's wife

Gardaí are hunting for an armed and "ruthless" gang who kidnapped a bank official's wife and held her hostage in Dublin.

The attack began at 6.30am today when a gang of five men entered the house on the Ballyfermot Road and took the woman hostage.

The bank worker was ordered to go to his place of work - the Ulster Bank in Kimmage - and take around €100,000 and to await further instructions.

The woman was released at around noon in a housing estate in Ratoath, Co Meath and a short time later, specialist gardaí arrested a man in his 20s in Kimmage.

A man in his 20s has been arrested and is being held at Crumlin Garda Station.

Superintendent John Gilligan said that up to five men were involved in the kidnapping and some were armed. He said the couple were extremely traumatised.

He revealed that gardaí were alerted to the attack after the bank official followed a strict protocol in place to deal with tiger kidnappings.