Experts probe grenade find

SECURITY sources believe a homemade grenade found in Cork may have been manufactured by criminals.

And in a separate incident, gardaí are looking for a gang who broke into an engineering firm and stole tens of thousands of euro.

Army bomb disposal experts were called in by gardaí after a hand grenade was discovered near Hollymount, off the Lee Road. It is understood the grenade was spotted by a member of the public after 1pm on Monday.

Experts took the device to Collins Barracks. A senior army source said the grenade was not military.

“It had a drill detonation but no explosive and the casing was crude. We believe it might have been made with criminal intent,” the army source said.

Meanwhile gardaí are trying to trace a gang who broke into Murjoy engineering works in White’s Cross, near Glanmire early yesterday morning.

A garda spokesman said he believed at least three people were involved.

“They got out the safe and smashed it open with a sledge hammer. It was discovered later near Sarsfield’s Court (Glanmire),” the spokesman said.

He said a “substantial” amount of cash was taken.

Elsewhere gardaí in Fermoy have asked AIB officials to check accounts amid fears that criminals installed a skimming machine on the local branch’s ATM last weekend.

A garda spokesman said a similar incident occurred in Mallow the previous week.