A search is continuing in Co Kerry for a man allegedly involved in an armed post office raid.

Armed gardaí fired warning shots as they pursued three men escaping the scene of the raid in Waterville yesterday.

The men’s car crashed in the Beaufort area of Killarney, and two people were arrested. One man is still at large.

A garda car was repeatedly rammed in the incident, and two gardaí were injured. They were taken to Kerry general hospital for treatment and tests.

Chief Superintendent Con Cadogan thanked local people for their “tremendous support” in tracking the criminals — via the text alert system — and said their help led to the successful arrest of two suspects.

He also praised the injured gardaí and wished them a speedy recovery.

The two detectives, a male and a female, are young members attached to Killarney garda station.

The robbery of the post office in Waterville took place at around 11.30am. There was a cash delivery earlier that morning and gardaí suspect the gang knew this from reconnaissance.

The raiders smashed glass at the counter and escaped with a large sum of cash, possibly a six-figure sum. Staff were left badly shaken.

The gang is well known to gardaí for criminality.

The three-man gang left in a car, which they abandoned a short time later. They got into a second vehicle and travelled along a maze of back roads in the direction of Killarney. Gardaí utilised the text alert system and Radio Kerry to ask people for their assistance in tracking suspect vehicles.

An unmarked Garda car from Killarney Station came upon the raiders and signalled at them to stop. The criminals rammed the Garda car repeatedly, resulting in each of the two members inside to discharge their weapons in warning shots.

The raiders forced their way past and a short distance later abandoned their second car, a 03D Mazda, setting it alight, and took to neighbouring fields on foot.

A major operation was put in place and two of the men were arrested. The Regional Support Unit, based in Cork, joined in the search, as did the Garda Dog team.

The third man had not been located, but gardaí have a good idea who he is and are hopeful of finding him. No firearms were recovered.

The case has been referred to the Garda Ombudsman as shots were discharged.

Additional reporting by Cormac O’Keeffe.