A number of squad cars were damaged as gardaí in Athlone detained two men suspected of hijacking a taxi in Co Roscommon early yesterday.
A hackney driver who collected a fare outside a public house in Castlerea at 2am is understood to have been shaken but physically unharmed in the incident.
A mobile phone and a quantity of cash are believed to have been taken during the hijack.
Castlerea-based Det Insp Joe McKenna said a taxi was hired in the early hours of Friday morning by two men. The men took control of the taxi and left the driver on the side of the road at Ballymurray in Roscommon.
Having been alerted to the incident, gardaí noticed the car in Athlone later that morning and gave chase.
“A number of Garda cars were slightly damaged in the pursuit,” Det Insp McKenna said.
Two men in their 20s were arrested and are being detained at Athlone Garda station for questioning.
Gardaí confirmed that one of the suspects had been arrested for a public order offence in Castlerea just hours before the hijack took place.