Masked men ‘hijacked car at gunpoint and placed suspicious object …

A security alert in Omagh has ended, the PSNI has said. The alert began last night, police say, when it was reported a man was hijacked at gunpoint and a suspicious object placed in his vehicle. A number of homes had been evacuated.

A spokesperson for the PSNI[2] said: "Last night, at around 10pm, it was reported that a man was hijacked by three masked men at gunpoint in the Fireagh Road area, off the Dromore Road in Omagh[3], who placed a suspicious object in his vehicle - a silver-coloured Volkswagen Golf - and forced him to travel to the Derry Road area and abandon the car outside Omagh Police Station. "A public safety operation was immediately implemented, with a number of people evacuated from their homes and cordons established." The spokesperson continued: "Ammunition Technical Officers examined the object and it has since been removed from the scene and will be subject to further examination to establish its viability."

Condemning the incident, PSNI Inspector Will Brown said: "The misguided and senseless actions of those responsible have caused disruption in the local community. "Our thoughts are with the driver, who was, understandably, badly shaken by the ordeal." Police say investigations into the incident continue.

Inspector Brown continued: "Thank you to all those who were impacted and to the wider public for your patience and cooperation. We are also grateful for the understanding of those impacted by the ongoing police activity in the Fireagh Road area. "We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of the church on the Fireagh Road, or travelling between the Fieragh Road and Omagh Police Station between 9pm and 10pm last night."

He added: "If you saw anything suspicious, or you have dash cam which may assist with our investigation, please get in touch by calling 101, quoting serial 2015 of 6/5/23.

"You can also make a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/[4] or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org/[5] "

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References

1. ^ Ballymoney crash: Man in electric wheelchair hit by car has died, police confirm (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
2. ^ PSNI (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
3. ^ Omagh (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
4. ^ www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ (www.psni.police.uk)
5. ^ www.crimestoppers-uk.org/ (www.crimestoppers-uk.org)
6. ^ here. (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
7. ^ here. (www.belfastlive.co.uk)