Four gardaí have been injured after a stolen car rammed their patrol cars early this morning.

Gardaí arrested three men in their 30s shortly after the incident and in connection with an investigation into burglaries and theft in Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Carlow and Kilkenny.

Shortly after midnight, a 4×4 car stolen in County Laois on June 23/24, rammed a marked Garda car and collided with a second patrol car as it failed to stop for at a checkpoint at Cloncourse, Portlaoise.

Four gardaí were hurt and were taken to Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, with non-life threatening injuries.

Three men got out of the stolen car and fled into a nearby field before gardaí, helped by the Garda Air Support Unit, arrested them shortly afterwards.

The three men – aged 36, 38 and 39 years – are being held at Portlaoise and Tullamore Garda Stations under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

Gardaí from Laois/Offaly, Carlow/Kildare and Tipperary have seized vehicles, trailers and farm equipment in follow-up searches.