Gardaí from Co. Tipperary, together with their colleagues from counties Laois /Offaly are understood to have recovered a substantial amount of jewellery and watches, which was stolen from a shopping centre in the midland town of Athlone, during last week’s ‘Snow Emma’.
The operation which led to the arrest of three males, was carried out by Gardaí and Detectives at a house in Ballaghmore, Lackey, Co Laois, close to the R445 on the Laois / Tipperary border, less than 7.9 kilometres (4.9 miles) from Roscrea, in Co. Tipperary.
Rings, bracelets, watches and chains, worth around €250,000, were stolen from the Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone, when thieves broke in through a roof into Park Jewellers in the early hours of last Saturday morning, March 3rd, when the centre was vacant following an earlier snow blizzard.
Described as a “sophisticated robbery”; the gang involved managed to deactivated all alarms at the centre and inside the shop, before stealing the jewellery and watches. They also removed the hard-drive from the centre’s CCTV system, before exiting the building through the roof area.
The robbery was not detected until Golden Island security staff opened the centre on Saturday morning last. The nature of the theft was seen as similar to other robberies around Ireland and abroad in recent times and Gardaí had suspected the involvement of an international gang.
The suspects remain held at stations in Portlaoise, Tullamore and Nenagh, where they are being questioned in relation to their suspected involvement.
Athlone Garda station are continuing to seek for information from those who might have observed unusual activity in the Golden Island area or who may have noticed anything suspicious between the hours 9.00pm on Friday and 7.00am on Saturday; to contact them at Tel: (090)6498550 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111.
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