A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in relation to a Larne attack that saw shots fired at a house containing children.
His arrest came following a highjacking in the Craigy Hill area and an attack on a house in Brustin Brae.
Police said they also conducted two searches in the Larne area today (Monday, September 11).
A spokesperson for the PSNI said shortly after 9.20pm this evening: "Detectives in Larne have arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, hijacking, aggravated vehicle taking."
Calls for more police action came after a car was hijacked before being smashed through the gate of the property near Larne, Co Antrim, and torched.
Three children, aged 10, seven and three, escaped injury when a number of shots were then fired at the house.
It is the latest in a catalogue of attacks being blamed on the UVF. One local MLA yesterday called for a police "taskforce" to be sent into the town to "take on" the paramilitaries.
Damage from bullet or shotgun pellet strikes was visible on three windows at the house yesterday as well as the burnt car. The home has a number of CCTV cameras and sources close to the family say the latest incident is part of a campaign by the loyalist terror group.
Aislinn Hassin, the children’s mother, said she was woken up by two loud bangs shortly before 2am.
She added: "I looked at the CCTV and could see this car on fire next to the garage. It was only a few feet away from the kids' room so I had to trail them out and got them into a back room.
"They knew there was a fire and were panicking, they were in a state. We were out then trying to put the fire out with a hose before the Fire Brigade arrived.
"It wasn't until after we noticed there’d been shots fired and one had hit their bedroom. I’m devastated by what could have been, shots being fired at the house.
"It’s just disgusting that people would do this. There’s young children here."
The attack is being linked to a number of similar incidents in the area including one in April where a car was driven into a house at Killyglen Road and set alight.
Speaking hours after the latest attack at an isolated property on the Brustin Brae Road, PSNI Mid & East Antrim District Commander Supt Darrin Jones said: "The local community will continue to see an increased police presence in the town to provide reassurance and deter those involved in this feud from engaging in further criminal actions.
"I would strongly urge those on all sides to reconsider their position and to resolve these matters without any added escalation in violence.
"We do not want to see more damage caused to property or life."
The police said yesterday they received a report at around 1.50am that "two masked males, armed with suspected shotguns, approached the occupants of a Volkswagen Bora that was parked outside a property".
Det Chief Inspector Dunny McCubbin added: "They threatened the occupants before taking the car. At 1.58am, police believe the vehicle was driven to a property in the Brustin Brae Road area of Larne where it was set alight outside a garage. Police also received a report that shots were fired at the property.
"We are appealing for anyone who was in Craigy Hill area or Brustin Brae area at around these times and noticed any suspicious behaviour, or anyone who knows anything about either of these incidents to contact detectives at Larne."
But Sinn Fein MLA Oliver McMullan called on the police to do more to stop the attacks escalating.
He added: "This situation is out of control and now we have shots fired at a house with children asleep inside.
"Someone could have been badly injured or even killed. The police know who’s behind this and they need to move on them. There were extra resources moved in to Carrick to deal with paramilitaries and they need to do the same here.
"The police here are stretched, so some kind of taskforce needs to be set up tackle these thugs before they kill someone."
