ENNISCORTHY GARDAI believe that the car involved in last night’s collision that killed a pensioner near Ferns was stolen and its occupants, who fled the scene after the crash, used it in a robbery a short time earlier.

The man who lost his life in the crash was named locally today as James Brennan (81) from the Cherry Orchard area of Enniscorthy.

A woman aged in her 50s travelling as a passenger in Mr Brennan’s car was seriously injured, though she is expected to survive after being treated at Wexford General Hospital.

The horror smash took place around 3km south of the village of Ferns, Co Wexford, at around 10.30pm last night. Moments before this, the suspects drove away from a service station without paying for fuel.

After the crash, the two occupants of the Volvo S60, which had been stolen from the Wicklow town area, fled the scene and ran through nearby fields.

The suspects entered a farmyard and stole a Red Volkswagen Passat which sources have revealed has a partial registration of 98G.

Subsequent investigative work has established that just after 10pm a robbery occurred at a service station in Arklow, during which two occupants of a car drove off without paying for petrol.

Gardaí believe the men involved in that incident were the same men in the same vehicle which collided with Mr Brennan’s car.

CCTV footage has led to the images of the men being studied but their identities have yet to be established. However, it is understood that Gardai have “a very good idea” of who the criminals are.

Garda sources said CCTV at the service station in Arklow captured the robbery and that the images of the men were being studied.

However, the identities of the suspects have yet to be established.

Members of the public who can offer any assistance or information on the incident are asked to contact Enniscorthy Garda station on 053-9242580, the Garda confidential telephone line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.