DETECTIVES investigating the robbery of €1m worth of diamonds and jewellery in Ballymun, Dublin, believe the armed gang was tipped off by someone who overheard the wholesale jeweller discussing his trade at his hotel.

Russian-born Noah Stefancki, who lives and works in Southampton in England, is a regular visitor here for business deals with local jewellers.

He booked a room in the Travelodge hotel in Ballymun after flying into Dublin Airport as he had stayed there previously and was known to some of the staff. A garda source said the local criminals believed to be responsible were tipped off and given his room number by someone who overheard the man at the hotel discussing diamonds.

In the early hours of Friday morning, three men armed with a hammer and a handgun forced their way into his hotel room. They beat him severely and stole a suitcase full of watches, rings, diamonds and other valuable jewellery. He lunged at the closest member of the gang and attempted to stop him from grabbing the suitcase. But he was hit twice on the head with the hammer and the gang escaped from the hotel on foot.

They were pursued by Stefancki on to Shangan Road but the three then turned into Coultry Road and escaped. He has since been released from hospital.