Tag Archives: gardai

WITH non-essential retailers reopening this week gardaí have urged Clare businesses to be security conscious. According to Clare’s Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks investing a little time and finances into security measures can deter criminals from targeting businesses. Measures introduced by businesses to prevent Covid-19 such as screens could obscure CCTV or alarm sensors, she explains, advising businesses to review their security systems. She said, “As retail premises open up again after Covid-19 restrictions it is even more important to ensure that your premises is secure. “Criminals like easy opportunities. If they have to make a lot of noise, spend a lot of time or risk being seen, the chances are they won’t bother. If they are aware staff are security conscious they will be less likely to attempt a criminal act. “A small investment of time and money can make your business premises more secure and less likely to be targeted by criminals.” She advises that businesses look …

SHORTLY after 10am this morning, uniform Gardaí in Ennistymon, assisted by the Garda Dog Unit, Armed Support Unit, the Divisional Drugs Unit, Customs Revenue Officers and Social Welfare Inspectors, executed a number of search warrants in the Ennistymon area. During the course of the operation Gardaí seized €40,000 of suspected cannabis herb and a sum of cash believed to be in the region of €20,000. Gardaí also seized two suspected imitation firearms, slash hooks, knives, hatchets and a baton. Two men, aged in their 20s and 50s, were arrested and are currently detained at Kilrush Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. The suspected drugs will now be sent to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.

MONEY was stolen from the till of the East Clare Golf Club last week after entry was gained by force. The sum of money was stolen sometime between 7pm on Wednesday, May 5 and 7am the following morning. “If anyone was in the area on the night of Wednesday into Thursday Morning, 7pm to 7am May 5 to 6 and saw anything suspicious or may have information, we are asking them to contact Killaloe Garda Station on 061-620540,” said Clare Victim Liaison Officer Garda Siobhán Madden. Meanwhile in a separate incident in Quin at 3.30am on Sunday morning, May 9 the alarm was activated at the Tailor And Blue Coffee Shop on Main Street. Entry was gained by forcing the front door and the daily float containing cash was stolen. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who was in the area and saw anything suspicious which may assist gardaí in their enquiries to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065-6848100.

A WOMAN, who claimed she was almost choked and slashed with a knife in one terrifying incident and “beaten to a pulp” in another attack by a Kilrush man, has spoken publicly for the first time. Sourney Linnane, who is a native of Pollagh, Ballinderreen, has waived her anonymity to launch a campaign to dramatically improve the statutory rights and state support services for anyone suffering from all forms of physical and psychological abuse. The mother-of-three has requested interim Justice Minister Heather Humphreys to introduce a statutory right for any victim of coercive control, domestic abuse, rape or any form of serious physical and mental abuse to be told about the official release date of their convicted perpetrator from prison. Martin Mulqueen (53), Ballynote, Kilrush, but with an address in Bawn Street, Strokestown, County Roscommon, was the third person to be jailed for coercive control in Ireland recently. Mulqueen pleaded guilty during this trial to three sample charges, including coercive …

A TEENAGER has appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged money laundering offence in Ennis, reports Ronan Judge. Lee McNamara (18), with an address at Childers Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis, was brought before Ennis District Court on Wednesday evening (May 5). McNamara was arrested and charged after gardaí carried out a search of a vehicle in Ennis on Tuesday. Members of the Clare garda divisional drugs unit seized just under €37,000 in cash, alleged to be the proceeds of crime. In court, Detective Garda Paul Heaslip gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. He told the court the accused made no reply to the single charge against him after caution. Defence solicitor Laura Stephenson said she had no questions regarding the arrest, charge and caution of her client. Sgt Aiden Lonergan told Judge Sandra Murphy that bail conditions had been agreed between gardaí and Ms Stephenson. He said the State consented to the accused being released on bail. After …

AS part of ongoing investigations targeting the assets and activities of an organised criminal group involved in incidents of burglary, theft and distribution of controlled drugs, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) conducted a search operation in Clare on Friday. In the course of the operation seven locations were searched in the Ennis area by CAB personnel assisted by local Gardaí in the Clare Garda Division, Garda Armed Support Unit (ASU), the Revenue Customs Dog Unit and the Revenue Customs Marked Mineral Oil Unit. As a consequence of the operation €197,500 was restrained in financial accounts, documentation in relation to financial matters was seized and the use of marked mineral oil in a private vehicle was detected.

AN increase in traffic volumes in the vicinity of both the Ennis and Meelick Centres is expected over the coming weeks. People attending for their vaccination are advised that they should only attend within five or 10 minutes of their appointment time. Gardaí have advised that at the Ennis Centre, once the numbers attending increase there will be no right turns into the hotel site. People coming from the Ennis side will need to continue past the hotel to the next roundabout and then enter the site with a left hand turn. There will also be no right turn out of the Abbey Court / Abbey Ville estates,and people exiting from this development will need to go left down to the roundabout and then continue. Sergeant Triona Brooks, Crime Prevention Officer said, “At the  Meelick Centre as the traffic volumes to the Vaccination Centre will probably affect the normal flow of traffic at the roundabout close to the Radisson, people …

GARDAÍ are investigating an allegation that the signature of Deputy Cathal Crowe was forged and fraudulently used to make a complaint to the Council about a local business. The Fianna Fáil TD branded the incident, in which a letter with his name was forged and sent to Clare County Council’s planning enforcement section, as “cowardly”. The fake document made a number of allegations that a named business was in breach of planning controls. It also falsely suggested that Deputy Crowe had received a number of complaints and called on the authority to conduct an investigation. “This is a cowardly act by somebody with a grudge,” Deputy Crowe told The Champion. “I’m 17 years in politics and have never seen anything like it. Whoever is behind this should have had the gumption to use their own name and go through the channels properly. “This forgery is something that could have had major fall-out for the business named.” The Meelick man outlined …