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A man ‘died of shock’ after confronting a gang of burglars
who had just ransacked his home.
John Donoghue, 62, is thought to have suffered a massive
heart attack and collapsed from the trauma of seeing the
crooks.
He had just returned to home in Country Limerick, when
the thieves came “flying out of the house”.
It is understood he was so alarmed by the sight he died on
the spot.
Police rushed to the scene after receiving a call at around
1.30pm and found John lying lifeless at the side of his
driveway.
Local parish priest Fr Tony Ryan, who was called to the
house to administer the last rites, described the carpenter as.
“a thorough gentleman, a most intelligent and inoffensive
person”.
“The thieves came flying out of the house,”
he said. “He got such a shock he had a
massive heart attack.
“The community is upset and outraged at
what happened.”
A neighbour said: “He had undergone a bypass in recent
years.
“He was a really nice man. The nicest you could ever
meet.”
Police on Wednesday arrested two members of the
Traveller community from Limerick city.
They were in custody last night being questioned about the
circumstances surrounding Mr Donoghue’s death and on
suspicion of committing a burglary at his home.
Locals said Mr Donoghue’s sister Christine found her
brother collapsed on the ground at the house in Toomaline.
The pair had just returned from Doon village where Mr
Donoghue had purchased wood materials for a project he
was working on. His sister phoned neighbours who alerted
the emergency services.
A local source said two members of a gang ran from the
house on foot after their getaway driver sped away before
they could reach the vehicle.
“They ransacked his home,” he added. “They are the lowest
of the low.”
Two suspects were arrested at Fearns Crossroads in Co
Tipperary.
Police later recovered a black Laguna near Boher, Co
Limerick, which they believe was the getaway car.
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