Gardaí Move On ATM Thieves

Over a dozen people have been arrested in connection with the theft of Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) in the south eastern and eastern regions of the Irish Republic.

This will put pressure on the PSNI to make a similar move as the thefts in the Irish Republic have been running in parallel with incidents in the border counties of NI.

More than other parts of NI, these areas have been plagued by a series of similar digger attacks on ATM bunkers.

Criminals have been stealing diggers from building sites and using them to ram into and destroy the bunkers housing ATMs so as to access the safe.

There have been continued calls from NI politicians to make the ATM robberies a priority, with dozens of attempted and successful raids being undertaken by the organised criminals.

The operation across the border yesterday saw the arrests made as part of a police operation investigating organised crime, led by Assistant Commissioner's National Support Services.

The investigation was focusing on the theft of ATM machines from business premises in the regions, and culminated in a number of searches and a series of arrests being made.

Detectives from the Irish National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, including the Organised Crime Unit, along with detectives from the eastern and south eastern regions were involved in the operation.

A total of 13 suspects were arrested - ten males and three females - while 23 searches were carried out.

The arrests and searches took place in a number of locations in counties Carlow, Wexford, Kilkenny, Dublin and Meath.

Those arrested have been detained in a number of Garda stations, with eight of those arrested being held under the Criminal Justice Act and five under the Offences Against the State Act.

The Garda Stations involved are Enniscorthy, New Ross, Gorey, Kilkenny, Thomastown, Carlow, Kells, Finglas, Clondalkin and Ballyfermot.

See: Tackle ATM Gang, Says MLA

(DW/GK)