Yesterday Fianna Fail leader on Donegal County Council, Francis Conaghan, described the situation as 'getting out of hand'. And he said he and his colleagues would be seeking an urgent meeting with Garda chiefs in Letterkenny to disuss their growing concerns.

His comments were echoed by Sinn Fein's Derry City Councillor, Patricia Logue, who said she would be calling for what she described as 'a Cross Border crime strategy' to be agreed between the Gardai Siochana and the PSNI.

Colr Conaghan told the 'Journal': "There is a definite pattern of activity out there be it in connection with drugs, racketeering or whatever. What seems to be happening is that hard cash businesses along the border - bookies, filling stations etc - are being targeted by these gangs. What is of deep concern is that these guys are now armed and it is only a matter of time before we have a fatality."

Pointing out that since the 'Troubles' had ended Garda chiefs in Dublin seemed to be under the impression that 'everthing up here is la-di-da' Colr Conaghan said this was most obviously not the case.

He commented: "The warning signals are there and I think it's time we acted on them. There doesn't seem to be that much crime further on in in the North or on down South; the big crime increase seems to be along the border. So I would suggest the onus is on both the Gardai and the PSNI to tell us what is happening. It is also up to them to tell us if they have the resources to deal with the crime or if they need more.

"I have no problem supporting any call for greater co-operation between the police and the Gardai to fight border crime."

In the latest incident several hundred people were evacuated from their homes in the Bogside area of Derry as police examined a suspect vehicle following an armed hijack yesterday morning. A bonded delivery van carrying a quantity of cigarettes was hijacked at gunpoint by a number of masked and armed men The driver of the van was approached at a garage on the Letterkenny Road by three men, one of whom was carrying a handgun. The driver was then stuck on the head with the gun before the masked raiders made off with the van.

It was later found abandoned in a laneway linking Limewood Street and Tyrconnell Street. Eyewitnesses said they saw several men wearing masks get out of the van in the laneway before getting into a waiting car and driving off.