Shock video emerges of thugs speeding in stolen car - hours before using it to ram a Garda car

This is the moment young thugs videoed themselves speeding in a stolen car - hours before callously ramming a Garda vehicle with it.

Footage obtained by the Irish Mirror shows at least three teenage criminals in the stolen Audi as it speeds through north Dublin on Tuesday evening - before the later ramming seriously damaged a pursuing Garda car.

We have also obtained these images of the damage caused to that Garda vehicle in the incident - which was written off.

The two Garda in the car were injured when it was rammed in the Ward area of north Dublin just before midnight on Wednesday. They were both hospitalised, but were later discharged and are now recovering from their ordeal.

Gardai are hunting the young criminals involved in the incident - but video of an earlier pursuit has now emerged on social media.

The 52-second clip shows a young driver and front-seat passenger as well as another teen, who films from the back seat.He repeatedly turns the camera back towards the pursuing Garda car - before filming his two pals in the front as the car speeds along. The incident is understood have started in the Cabra area of Dublin and the gang managed to shake off the Garda car.

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But just before midnight, other Garda units saw the same stolen car, leading to another pursuit - this time near The Ward on the N2 heading north from the city.

During that pursuit, the Garda car was hit with such force that it flipped onto its roof. The occupants of the stolen Audi fled the area and Garda who arrived provided first aid for their colleagues, who were then taken to hospital.

Garda say the incident was related to the initial theft of a car from Santry, north Dublin on Monday night - but happened near midnight on Tuesday.

Sources tell us Gardai believe the teens involved in the ramming incident are aligned to the infamous Lucky Dip gang.

Thats a loose alliance of teen criminals who are causing havoc all over Dublin and Leinster by carrying burglaries and stealing high-powered cars.

They are all teenagers, some as young as 15. They come from several parts of Dublin, including Bluebell, Ballyfermot, Finglas and Ballymun.

Officers also believe elements of the same gang were involved in a horror incident on Dublins M50 on Sunday.

Eight teens were injured when the stolen car in which they were travelling in the wrong direction on the dual carriageway collided with another vehicle at around 5.30am on Sunday.

All eight received serious injuries, including a 13-year-old boy who is critically ill. The innocent driver of the other car, Craig Fox, was also seriously injured.

Sources tell us there have been more than 300 car and motorbike thefts in the Dublin region in the last two months - or five every 24 hours. The Lucky Dip gang are suspected of stealing dozens of them.

In a statement on the incident on Tuesday, a Garda spokesperson said: Garda from DMR West Roads Policing Unit and Blanchardstown and Meath South Community Engagement were involved in a related managed containment operation at the Ward, Dublin 11.

During the course of the operation, the stolen car collided with a marked patrol vehicle. The occupants of the stolen vehicle fled on foot. Two members of An Garda Sochna exited the vehicle and received assistance. Both were conveyed to hospital for treatment.

Both members of An Garda Sochna have since been released from hospital. An Garda Sochna continues to provide welfare support to the members as they recuperate, and to their families.

Investigations ongoing.

And Detective Garda Mark Ferris, the Garda Representative Association representative for Dublin West, said it was a another shocking incident in which Garda had their lives jeopardised for doing their duty.

He said: I have spoken to both officers who have now been discharged from hospital and are recuperating from their injuries at home. They wish to thank the ambulance and hospital staff for their medical assistance during what was a deeply traumatic event, the details of which will appal any right-thinking member of society.

Sadly, these kinds of incidents are happening all too often and we as an organisation needs to do more to protect our members on the ground through resources, equipment and training but more urgently, an accelerated recruitment programme to help and support the frontline members that we have.

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