Gardaí have arrested a man in his 30s in Dublin in relation to an operation targetting stolen cars.

Under Operation Thor an ongoing focus is being placed on tackling people stealing cars and selling them online.

Gardaí say the sellers are cloning licence plates to make them match vehicles of the same description.

One man was arrested in Rush yesterday and a stolen Volvo was recovered.

Gardaí are warning people to be careful if buying a car online and to carry out due diligence.

Thay have said: “Potential buyers should be wary of meeting sellers in public places other than at the home of the seller. All documents should be thoroughly checked including ensuring that the vehicle identification number (VIN; a 17 digit unique alpha numeric code) matches the original registration document.

“Other warning signs may include the seller not having two original vehicle keys or being asked to change the arranged meeting place at short notice.”