Gardaí have successfully smashed a travelling gang they believe responsible for a spate of burglaries around the country, following a break-in at the home of Mark and Emma Corcoran, in Burnchurch, (off the Killenaule – Cashel road), Killenaule, near Thurles in Co Tipperary, around 3:00am this morning.
It is understood that up to seven men from the Coolock area of north Co Dublin, aged in their 20’s, are now being detained by Gardaí, following the incident and same have been transferred to stations in Tipperary, where they are being held under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act, which allows for their detention, without charge, for up to three days.
During the armed robbery, a businessman was assaulted resulting in a broken nose, having been struck by a shotgun butt, while his wife and their three children, all girls under the age of 8, were also in the house at the time. The parents were tied up during their horrific ordeal, as members of the gang robbed cash, jewellery and other property from their family home. The gang also stole the family’s Kia 4×4 vehicle and using another car, latter believed stolen earlier in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, then fled the scene.
Shortly afterwards Gardaí intercepted a Volkswagen Passat at about 4.30am near Naas and detained five men. The family’s 4X4 was later stopped with the aid of the Garda Air Support Unit latter brought in to keep track of the vehicle, together with the Armed Intervention Unit, resulting in the detention of the other two men near Bewley’s Hotel at Newlands Cross. Outbound and Inbound lanes at the busy Newlands Cross junction were closed for some time following the incident, with early morning motorists warned of severe delays. The area has since been cleared.
Cash and other stolen property together with two shotguns were recovered by Gardaí, as a result of searches of both vehicles.
This Dublin based outfit are one of a number of gangs identified and targeted under Operation Fiacla, which was set up some eighteen months ago by Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan; it’s target, to combat the wave of burglaries nationwide and is regarded by senior Garda officers today as significant in their fight against rural gangland crime.
Good on the GARDAÍ but what REAL PUNISHMENT will these robbers get?. N O N E
What prize will they get?. Free grub for Xmas in gaol.
Well done to the Gardaí, lets hope the courts will honour the difficult work that the Gardaí do by punishing these offenders and not just a slap on the wrists.
They are a lovely family. So genuine and so nice. It’s hard to believe that this has happened to them.
Let’s hope the guards do a good job so they get justice for what was obviously a very violent disturbing distressing and upsetting time for them and their girls.
Could not agree more Eilish, but they will probably be let out on bail, then given a suspended sentence since we can no longer afford our prison service. They will plead that they are a product of family hardship, during their early lives, coming from a background of drugs, lack of parental care and sexual abuse. Our overpaid judges will take this into account and release them. Next time they strike they will kill someone.
Congratulations must go to the Gardaí who pulled out all the “stops.”