Gardai in Arklow, Co Wicklow, believe they have foiled a major theft at a jewellers in the town.
Officers were called to the shop on Bridge Street shortly after 3am where four raiders were attempting to break into the shop.
Gardai say officers got to the scene within minutes of the alarm being raised, where they found three men wearing balaclava's getting into a blue Subaru Impressa car. A forth man was behind the wheel.
Gardai tried to block the vehicle but the raiders began ramming their patrol car and officers had to take evasive action.
The four managed to speed off in the direction of the Wicklow Road and a second patrol car took up the chase on the Coolgrainey Road. However, the raiders managed to escape again.
It is thought they could have made their way back to Dublin via the Wicklow Mountains.
Only a small number of jewels are believed to have been taken and gardai say they have managed to recover most of them.