Measures to curb travelling gangs
Gardaí are to intensify efforts to combat the rising threat of travelling gangs of thieves targetting rural towns and villages across Cavan and Monaghan.
Extra patrols and additional checkpoints along major routes are among the solutions being put forward, although in the context of current resourcing.
The strategy will involve increased visibility in strategic locations, with checkpoints designed to intercept and monitor the movements of suspicious vehicles.
It follows a recent spike in the number of house burglaries in both counties, the latest occurring in the Cavan Town area at the weekend, on Saturday, September 14, where two homes were broken into- one in Drumnavanagh Close, and another at Willow Park Drive.
In the first a quantity of jewellery and cash was reported taken from the property, and in the second a sum of cash.
The pattern matches those of other local break-ins, including two in the Killeshandra area and others in Bailieborough and Virginia last month. Again, cash and jewellery were targetted, with those behind the break-ins often gaining entry by forcing a back window or door.
A three-stone engagement ring was among the items stolen from one house in the Killeshandra area.
Gardaí are wary that those behind such crimes can also have a capacity for violence, as witnessed during two separate raids on service stations in Meath and Cavan, one of which resulted in a man being hospitalised with a suspected stab wound.
The first raid took place at approximately 3:45am on Tuesday, September 10, when a number of men robbed a retail premises in the Mullaghboy area of Navan.
The injuries sustained by the man are understood are not believed to be life threatening, and investigations are “ongoing”, confirmed a spokesperson for An Garda Síochána.
The same gang are linked with an attempted raid at another service station on the Dublin Road outside Cavan Town where, what is believed to be an imitation firearm, was produced.
Nothing was taken and no injuries were reported.
A similar attempted robbery was reported on August 23 when three males were observed trying to gain entry to White Gate fuels, Edenburt, on the N3, but left unsuccessful.
In connection with that attempt and others, gardaí are continuing to appeal to the public for assistance in tracking the movements of a white-coloured BMW estate vehicle seen in the area.
In neighbouring Monaghan, two cars - a black Kia Sportage and a grey Hyundai Tuscon- were taken following a burglary in Carrickmacross in early August.
Gardening equipment was meanwhile reported stolen from a shed at a house near Castleblayney later in the month.
Over the weekend gardaí in Cavan-Monaghan also issued an alert for members of the public to watch out for a black Volkswagen Golf R32 believed to have been used in the commissioning of burglaries in both Northern Ireland and the Monaghan area.