City criminals target lakeside rural retreats of millionaires
Highly organised gangs are targeting luxury homes in the lakeside village.
Supt Tony Kennelly said gardaí have mounted a special operation involving patrols and checkpoints to foil the spate of burglaries.
He blamed the problems in the Killaloe area on the ‘dispersal of crime from Limerick city’, where gangs are feeling the heat of high intensity policing.
Thieves recently broke into the home of Gay Byrne’s daughter Crona, who lives outside Killaloe, and stole a large amount of jewellery and other valuables. They also chiselled out two safes - later found broken open and empty, in a field near Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Ms Byrne, who is married and expecting a baby, said she was certain her house was targeted in advance.
The area around Killaloe has a large community of well-known people and a number of magnificent, multimillion euro lakeside homes. Residents include entertainer Brendan Grace, rugby stars Keith Woods and Anthony Foley, former diplomat Sean Donlon and Euro lottery millionaire, Dolores McNamara. Celia Larkin, former partner of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has also moved to Killaloe in recent weeks.
Gardaí suspect that Limerick crime gangs are moving into rural areas in increasing numbers due to Operation Oileann, in the city, which involves large-scale surveillance of known criminals.
Supt Kennelly, who is head of Killaloe garda district, added: “These criminals come in and do a sweep of Killaloe, Newport, Birdhill and Ballina. They target particular houses and come back and break into them.
“Many people in the area commute to work, houses are left unoccupied and some of the break ins happen when people are at work,” he added.
Cllr Tony O’Brien, a local politician, said there was concern at the upsurge in burglaries, adding: “Whatever resources the gardaí need, should be made available to them.”
Boats on the lake have also been hit with the theft of valuable outboard motors.
Gardaí in the Bruff district of Co Limerick, meanwhile, also have a special operation in place to tackle rural crime by city criminals.
Supt Jim Browne said Bruff gardaí last weekend impounded seven vehicles at checkpoints - some carrying stolen goods, while others had false tax and insurance papers.
