CCTV captures disturbing hammer attack at Dublin bus depot as gardai launch manhunt

EXCLUSIVE - This is the disturbing CCTV still of the attacker who used a hammer to smash up several windows and doors at the Dublin Bus depot in Phibsboro on Tuesday. He is also suspected of a similar attack at the Department of Transport on the same day.

A Garda manhunt is underway for a man who used a hammer to smash in windows and doors at the Department of Transport and a Dublin Bus depot.

A shocking CCTV still obtained by this paper shows the moment the man, dressed in overalls, took out a hammer and started smashing glass windows and doors at the Phibsboro depot in Dublin on Tuesday afternoon.

Pictures also show the extent of the damage done - which is estimated to cost thousands to repair.

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Eyewitnesses claim the man took a hammer out of a bag and smashed up several windows and the front doors of an office building at the depot at around 3pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Onlookers claim that members of staff ran out to meet the man who was heard exclaiming “I should’ve done this f*cking years ago,” before he ran off. There are now fears that the man had a personal grudge with Dublin Bus.

Gardai were called to the scene and launched a manhunt which is understood to still be underway. They were also separately called to a similar incident that day at the Department of Transport.

In that incident a man was seen using a hammer to smash in windows on the ground floor of the Department building on Leeson Lane in Dublin’s city centre. Officials at the Department are now understood to be reviewing their security measures in the wake of the incident.

Gardai are understood to be investigating if the same individual carried out both attacks. Sources say officers are also examining whether the suspect had any prior connection to the Department or Dublin Bus.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport told this paper that repair works have since been undertaken - and that the incident is under investigation. They also confirmed that security measures are being reviewed. “The incident, which was not unique to our building, is being investigated by An Garda Siochana. “Temporary repair works have been undertaken and OPW have arrangements in place to complete those works. Security arrangements are kept under ongoing review ensuring that all precautions required are in place,” they said.

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