Cable thieves target Galway sports clubs

Sports clubs across the county have been warned to step up security on their premises as scrap metal thieves target valuable cabling as easy pickings.

The advice comes as Gardaí investigate the most recent such robbery attempt which resulted in damage to the new floodlights at Claregalway GAA Club at Knockdoemore. The floodlights, with eight poles, were installed less than a year ago at the newly developed pitch.

It is understood the cabling was targeted by thieves with a view to selling on as scrap metal.

Claregalway GAA and Gardaí suspect this was a fairly professional operation, involving several thieves over a couple of hours.

The cabling connecting the floodlight poles is underground, and surrounds the pitch – club officials believe the raiders would have had to find the underground junctions, possibly with a metal detector and then dig it out before cutting the cables and pulling them out, probably with a vehicle with tow-bar.

The incident occurred last Tuesday or Wednesday night, and authorities are working on the assumption that the thieves were disturbed during the raid.

The cabling was left on the pitch, as the raiders presumably made their getaway.

Alan Moran, secretary of Claregalway GAA club, which has up to 800 members, said the cost to the club hasn’t yet been estimated but it could run into thousands of euros.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.