Grenades stolen from Limerick army barracks
During a routine security check at Sarsfield Barracks on Monday, a break-in was detected in one of the store rooms.
A small quantity of blank ammunition, flares, non-explosive training grenades and a pellet gun were stolen.
The pellet gun was recovered yesterday afternoon in the front garden of a house near Ballinacurra Weston, the base of one of the city’s notorious feuding gangs.
The Defence Forces have confirmed an investigation is ongoing.
“This break-in is under investigation by military police since Monday. An Garda Síochána has been informed and are assisting. Blank ammunition is used in training and while not lethal, if not handled correctly, is potentially dangerous,” a statement read.
Defence Minister Willie O’Dea said he was “angered and concerned” by the break in which occurred in his home constituency.
“While I have been again assured that all weapons, live ammunition and explosive material in Sarsfield Barracks are stored securely and safely, any security breach at any army barracks is deeply disturbing, regardless of the relatively inert nature of the material stolen,” he said.
Mr O’Dea said he had ordered Defence Forces chief of staff Lieutenant Dermot Earley to explain how the material was stolen and to outline measures to ensure such an incident will not occur in future.
Fine Gael spokesman for defence Jimmy Deenihan said the theft was a “grave and worrying” development given the violent gun culture that already exists in the city.
“The minister has rightly called for a thorough investigation into how such a serious breach of security could occur at a location where live ammunition and multiple weapons are located.
“It must be particularly galling for the minister for such a security lapse to occur in his own backyard where family feuds and gangland killings have been a consistent problem,” he added.
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