Public asked to be vigilant for cheap luxury goods

IF YOU’RE offered cheap Elizabeth Arden perfume, Hewlett Packard computers, or Canterbury sports clothing by a stranger in a pub, the chances are they were stolen from a warehouse in Co Cork.

Gardaí believe the gang that raided the Securispeed courier company in Glanmire last Wednesday morning are likely to try and sell off their haul — estimated to have a value of close on €250,000 — in the run-up to Christmas.

Three raiders burst into the courier company at Brooklodge East at around 3.30am. They ordered four employees who were in the building at the time to lie on the ground and tied them up. They then calmly and deliberately helped themselves to certain goods. They stayed in the building for about an hour and 10 minutes while they loaded the haul into two vehicles, both used by employees.

One of the vehicles, two-tonne gold and wine coloured Izuzu Trooper was later found abandoned at the Wilton Court shopping centre. It was discovered there at approximately 7pm on the day of the raid. However, gardaí believe that the raiders abandoned it there sometime around 7am.

“We are anxious to speak to anyone who saw this vehicle coming into the shopping centre, or who spotted anybody getting out of it. There should have been a few people around at the time. People could have been on their way into the 24-hour Tesco supermarket for some early shopping, or on their way to work at Cork University Hospital,” said Detective Inspector Martin Dorney.

The Izuzu was taken to Cobh Garda Station, where forensic experts searched it in the hope of finding clues to the identity of the raiders.

Det Insp Dorney added that gardaí were still searching for the other vehicle. It is a white coloured Scania truck with a canvas-sided trailer. It had the registration number 98-D-73143.

The Canterbury sportswear mainly consisted of body warmers, calf, ankle and wrist supports. The haul also included Hewlett Packard inkjet and laser printers, as well as external hard drives, desktops and laptop computers.

“We appealing for anybody who saw anything suspicious near the Glanmire warehouse, or who is offered such goods for sale at a knockdown price to contact us,” said Det Insp Dorney.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Cobh Garda Station 021-4908530, or their nearest Garda station.