CCTV footage from toll points on the Limerick tunnel is being examined as gardaí hunt a well organised criminal gang who disconnected phones lines and internet connections before stealing ten of thousands of euro and stock from a village shop.
The gang used industrial cutting equipment to gain access to Adams of Glin in Co Limerick in the early hours of St Patrick’s morning, when €30,000 in cash and stock was stolen.
Before entering the shop at about 2am, the gang lifted a man hole on the street to cut telecommunication lines which disabled the shop’s alarm.
The phone lines for the entire area were cut and the Eircom connection on the fibre optic cable running between Limerick and Kerry was also interrupted for a period.
After gaining access to the shop through the roof the gang spent several hours inside.
During this time they managed to prise open an ATM machine inside the shop, removing some €13,000. They also stole several thousand euro from the shop safe and took the overnight float from the register.
The gang also stolen the contents of a cigarette machine, valued at several thousand euro.
“The cutting equipment that was used was all industrial type machinary. Some of it was left behind and it will be examined as part of the investigation,” said a garda spokesman. “This was a well planned sophisticated operation.”
Gardai have managed to secure CTV footage from the shop but it’s understood the gang - who had left by 5am - all had their faces covered.CCTV footage from cameras from Glin and surrounding areas is being examined, as is footage from toll plazas in Limerick.
Detectives believes a number of getaway vehicles were used given the amount of stock and cash taken. Investigating officers believe between three and five people were involved.
One line of investigation being pursued is that the gang travelled from a different part of the country.
The robbery also has a similar modus operandi to recent robberies carried out by gangs who have travelled from Eastern Europe.
“It’s too early to say yet but this certainly has similar hallmarks of other sophisticated robberies that have been carried out around the country by criminals who have travelled here from Eastern Europe for a few days and then left,” said one source.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Newcastle West Garda station on (069) 20650.