A MAN WHO stole a car from south Belfast with a 17-year-old girl still in the vehicle has been arrested by Gardaí in Dundalk.

Gardaí arrested the 25-year-old man and seized the vehicle in Dundalk, Co Louth, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

PSNI Detective Sergeant McVeagh said: “Police received a report on Saturday 28th September that a vehicle which had been parked in the Botanic Avenue area, had been stolen with a female passenger still in the car.

“The car stopped on the Saintfield Road, Lisburn where the girl escaped from the vehicle.”

The car was observed a short time later driving at speeds in excess of 160kmph on the A1 and PSNI officers made contact with An Garda Síochána to inform them the vehicle was driving towards the border.

At around 2.20 am on Saturday, Gardaí had located the stolen car and had arrested a man in Dundalk.

“The victim was not injured but left shaken by her ordeal. Thankfully we are not dealing with any casualties after some very dangerous and reckless behaviour by the suspect involved,” McVeagh added.

He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Co. Louth.

The vehicle was seized by Gardaí and removed for technical examination.

Investigations are ongoing.