GARDAÍ in West Clare are investigating reports of attempted break-ins by a person, who it is claimed was attempting entry using a supposed master key.
The gardaí are reacting to a matter raised by Councillor Oliver Garry at Monday’s meeting of the JPC, where he said he had received calls from members of the public in Kildysart, who had told him “a person was going around with a bunch of keys trying specific doors of houses”.
He said on receiving a call about it, he phoned gardaí in Kilrush. He asked if the gardaí were aware of certain doors that could be accessed by using a “master key”.
“He was only trying certain doors. I don’t know the specifics of the particular one,” he said.
Superintendents Derek Smart and Seamus Nolan were not aware of this specific incident but said they would make enquiries.
Following the meeting, Superintendent Smart said the gardaí had not heard about this particular type of crime before.
“Following the discussion, enquiries are being made. We have never heard of it before. I would have been aware in Limerick of ways that windows could be opened but I certainly hadn’t heard of a master key and I would be surprised if there was something like that,” he said.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.