A man in his 20s, armed with a hammer, broke into the Lidl supermarket in Ballincollig in Co Cork at around 11pm last night and caused thousands of euro worth of damage.

The Irish Independent reports that the man smashed his way through the front door with the hammer before going on a violent rampage in various sections of the store. 

The damage was done within the few minutes it took gardai to arrive following the triggering of the alarm when the man broke in.

Gardaí arrested a man at the scene. He is being questioned at Gurranabraher garda station.

Estimates of the damage range from €10,000 to €100,000, although Lidl have so far declined to comment on the incident as it is an ongoing garda investigation.

Originally published: 12.06