Professional crime gang in operation
As the number of burglaries and break ins increase around the county, it is understood that a "professional" crime gang are in operation. Kiernan's Pharmacy in Mohill was a victim of a well thought out and professionally executed burglary last week.
Between the hours of last Thursday night and Friday morning (June 9-10) a gang gained access to a vacant building beside Kiernan's Pharmacy on Main Street Mohill and then proceeded to chisel the two and a half foot wall to gain access to the property, and cut off all alarms upstairs before ransacking the premises and taking thousands of euro worth of perfume, cosmetics and technology. The gang even managed to take the hard drive of the CCTV system before fleeing the scene.
Owner Brendan Kiernan said it was a "prison break style" of burglary, he said he had a good alarm system, CCTV cameras and had plenty of locks on the premises but they were rendered useless. "What can you do?" he questioned, as he pondered over the gang's highly thought out plan. He said even if he had to have bars on the windows it would not have prevented this crime. He said the burglars were "determined and clever." He told the paper the Gardai had described the operation as "professional" and seemed to believe that the gang had been scouting the place for a while.
The Gardai confirmed to the Leitrim Observer that this was indeed a professional operation probably carried out by "expereinced" people who had sussed out the area and the properties before executing the burglarly. The Gardai said no drugs were taken, which means the gang stole items they could be gauranteed a quick resale on.
Speaking to the paper on Monday afternoon, Brendan Kiernan said he was just after coming face to face with another sophisticated crime in his Carrick-on-Shannon store; credit card scams. He said a person had entered the shop and sought to purchase over €340 worth of goods on a credit card. Mr Kiernan said it was a member of staff who was first alarmed by this large transaction before they contacted the gardai and learned about the new scam. Mr Kiernan said local business people need to be very careful. Gardai told the paper they are currently investigating this incident but would not comment on the details of the scam.
Glancy's Supervalu was also the victim of a burglary over the Bank Holiday weekend. On Sunday night/ Monday morning (June 6/7) a group broke into Padraig Glancy's Supervalu on the Boyle Road, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Roscommon. This group cut off all the alarms and wires and stole an amount of cash and cigarettes from the premises. Padraig Glancy said the increase in these crimes are a "sign of the times."
Gardai are also investigating this incident as well as other local break-ins to homes around the county.
Commenting on the increasing professionalism of burglaries in the county, the Gardai said tracing these criminals is "not getting any easier." A spokseperson for the Gardai said these gangs are not coming to premises at 3am in the morning for the first time and attempting to break in, they have alreay "sussed out the scene" and are quite "experienced" at the crime.
Fintan Cox of Coxs Pharmacies in Carrick-on-Shannon told the paper that "extra resources of Gardai are needed in the town." Mr Cox was quick to praise the work of the gardai but said that larger numbers are needed to help combat crime.
The Gardai deny that there has been any cut in personnel patrolling the streets, but did admit that the local force "have a very large area to cover."
Gardai are now asking all business and home owners to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious activity immediately to the Gardai.
Elderly people living alone are also advised to be very cautious about who they allow to enter into their home and to always seek iddentification from people they do not know.
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Weather for Carrick-on-Shannon, Ireland
Thursday 17 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
