A man was arrested yesterday after a gang went on the rampage attacking people with hammers in Belfast.
One man was taken to hospital with serious head injuries after being struck with a hammer during a burglary at his home in the south of the city. Two other men sustained less serious injuries as the gang roamed through the neighbourhood.
The 54-year-old victim was in bed with his wife in Strangford Avenue, in the Malone area of the city, when a gang of four entered the house around 6.30 a.m. and attacked him. They left after stealing the couple's house-keys and car-keys and used their Vauxhall Frontera car to ram through driveway gates.
The gang then made their way to a second house in the street where they attacked an elderly man and his son with a hammer before attempting to steal their car. The son sustained a head injury while his father suffered a blow to his wrist.
The men then went to nearby Harberton Avenue where they hijacked a white Volkswagen Polo and drove to Balmoral Avenue where police stopped the vehicle.
Two of the men ran off towards Musgrave Park Hospital while a third ran towards the Boucher Road.
A fourth was arrested close to the scene and was helping police in connection with the burglary and assault.
Police are also investigating separate arson attacks on two schools.
Forensic experts were due to make a detailed examination of a temporary building at De La Salle High School at Struell Road, Downpatrick, Co Down.
The building belonged to a contractor working on the site.
Meanwhile, minor damage was caused to the Good Shepherd Secondary School at Poleglass, on the outskirts of west Belfast.
A police spokesman said that forensic tests had already been carried out at the school and the incident was being treated as arson.