Two travelling gangs behind spate of burglaries either side of Christmas

TWO separate travelling gangs – one from Dublin and the other Limerick – were responsible for a spate of break-ins at eight properties in the Turloughmore, Athenry and Clarinbridge areas on either side of Christmas.

Four properties broken into and robbed in the Turloughmore/Cregmore area before Christmas are understood to have been targeted by a Dublin gang, who made a speedy getaway via the M6 motorway. They broke into four unoccupied properties at Kiltrogue/Cregmore in the afternoon/evening of Monday, December 20 last between 4pm and 7pm, stealing mainly jewellery and electronic items.

The second spate of house break-ins occurred on Thursday last, January 6, when two properties at Clarke Street, Athenry and two more at Tonroe, Clarinbridge, were robbed during the morning. Gardaí believe that four men were involved in these latter raids, making their getaway in a dark coloured BMW car which sped off in the direction of Gort on their way to a location in Limerick.

Doors and windows in the houses targeted by the thieves were damaged in the raids, while in the pre-Christmas robberies, the gang members pulled the curtains to conceal their activity, before ransacking the houses.

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