DOZENS of Gardaí trawled through woods and fields during a massive manhunt for burglars following a high-speed car chase in the city suburbs today.

Three men armed with crowbars, believed to be members of an organised travelling crime gang, took off on foot across the N40 South Ring Road this afternoon after crashing a grey Audi estate car at the Bloomfield exit.

Gardaí began chasing the three men in Rochestown after the grey Audi rammed a Garda car blocking their path as they fled the scene of a house burglary on Coach Hill.

One of the suspects was arrested this evening but two others remained at large. 

The arrested man, aged 28, was taken to Togher Garda Station. 

A local from the Coach Hill area witnessed a dark-coloured Audi estate ram the Garda car following a house burglary of a well known Cork businessman at around 3.20pm.

Gardaí attempted to block the Audi from leaving the scene but the raiders ploughed into the Garda car, pushing it aside and causing damage to the side of the vehicle.

The Gardaí then gave chase to the two masked men and the driver onto the N40.

There were reports of five unmarked cars and a number of squad cars giving chase on the N40 before the car crashed and the men took off on foot.

A manhunt followed across Bessborough and Mahon Golf Club with 60 Gardaí including the Armed Support Unit and the Dog Unit searching the bushes of the grassy areas.

The Garda plane was also deployed to help with the search and an appeal was issued for public support to help apprehend the men.

The public was told there were three men, one dressed in a light grey tracksuit and another in a dark grey tracksuit.

It is thought the three men were also connected to an interrupted burglary which took place on Dublin Road, Fermoy earlier today.

Speaking to The Echo, Gardaí said they had apprehended one suspect and intended to patrol throughout the night searching for the other two men.

“It is a wide area to cover with a lot of undergrowth and potential for concealment,” Detective Sergeant Sean Healy said.

“We will be patrolling and monitoring locations and conducting searches throughout the night.”