Northern Ireland

Hijackers smash van with hammer in west Belfast

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made three arrests and recovered two ATMs.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made three arrests and recovered two ATMs. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made three arrests and recovered two ATMs.

Hijackers threatened a driver with a hammer and stole his van in west Belfast yesterday morning.

The Citroen Berling Van was parked in Cloona Manor when the driver was approached by two men at around 7.45am.

The men threatened the driver and told him to get out of the van. When he refused, one of the men smashed the van's lights with a hammer.

The driver got out and the men stole the van.

The vehicle was found a short time later in Colinbrook Gardens.

Police said the driver was not injured but was left badly shaken.

The man armed with the hammer was in his thirties. He was around 5’8”, with short brown hair and was wearing a grey tracksuit.

The second man was around 5’11” in height, with a scruffy beard and was wearing a blue coat with a hood and a baseball cap.

Police have appealed to anyone with information to contact them on 101.