Unarmed officers managed to disarm the man and confiscate the rifle
A man in his 20s was arrested by Gardai after he was witnessed walking in a residential area carrying a rifle which turned out to be loaded.
Officers in Cork arrested the 27-year-old man after he crashed a stolen jeep on Spring Hill in Glanmire yesterday afternoon.
Uniformed members were patrolling the area when they were informed by a passing motorist that a vehicle had crashed nearby.
Arriving at the scene they saw a man emerging from the wrecked Pajero jeep armed with what appeared to be a firearm.
The Gardai - who were themselves unarmed - managed to disarm the man and confiscate the weapon. They discovered it was loaded.
They arrested the local man and took him to Gurranebraher Garda Station for questioning, a spokesperson said.
Investigators established the man had been involved in a crash earlier that day in Thurles in County Tipperary.
A vehicle was stolen earlier yesterday afternoon and had crashed on the N8 motorway.
The man the came across the Pajero jeep in a field near Cashel and decided to steal it. He discovered the loaded rifle in the back and decided to drive home to Cork.
On his way back to Glanmire he attempted to drive off from a service station without paying for diesel. However, he collided with a pump and caused thousands of euros worth of damage before fleeing and crashing the vehicle minutes later.
Gardai said he is custody and is being held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.