Two arrests made after car hijacking and security alert in Co Tyrone

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Two men have been arrested by detectives investigating a vehicle hijacking and security alert in Co Tyrone.

A man was hijacked at gunpoint by a masked gang and then forced to drive his car with a suspicious object on board to a police station.

The incident caused a major security alert in Omagh which led to a number of people being evacuated from their homes and cordons erected.

The victim was hijacked by three masked men in the Fireagh Road area, off the Dromore Road in Omagh, at around 10pm on Saturday.

A security alert in the Derry Road area of Omagh has ended. An object has been removed from the scene and will be subject to further examination. pic.twitter.com/BdA5cVz8I4

— Police Fermanagh and Omagh (@PSNIFermOmagh) May 7, 2023

The masked men placed a suspicious object in his silver-coloured Volkswagen Golf and forced the driver to travel to the Derry Road area and abandon the car outside Omagh police station.

Ammunition technical officers examined the object which was removed from the scene.

PSNI Inspector Will Brown said the driver had been left badly shaken by the ordeal.

Following searches which began on Sunday, a 56-year-old man was arrested in Omagh and a 29-year-old man was arrested in Strabane.

Both arrest operations were carried out under the Terrorism Act and two vehicles were seized for forensic examination.

The men were taken to the serious crime suite at Musgrave Police Station to be questioned.

The investigation continues and police are appealing to anyone with information to contact them on 101 quoting reference number 2015 of 06/05/23.