Gardaí to charge gang members over ATM heists

GARDAÍ hope to bring charges against eight members of serious crime gangs behind the spate of ATM robberies over the last two years.

A massive operation was set up to investigate the “smash and grab” raids on banks, petrol stations, restaurants and shops, particularly in the south-east.

Some 53 people were arrested under Operation Slope, which was ordered by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and led by Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne, who is in charge of the National Support Services. The actual investigation was carried out by the detective branch of the Garda South-East Region, led by Detective Superintendent Dominic Hayes. The team is expected to be in a position to submit a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in a month. This file will contain a dossier of evidence to support charges being taken under new anti-gangland legislation.

The Criminal Justice Act 2009 makes it a criminal offence to direct or control a criminal organisation – punishable by up to life in prison; and participation or involvement in organised crime – punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

No charges have yet been brought under the act.

The gang at the centre of the ATM raids is based in the Wexford area. A number of other gangs were also involved in what was a sophisticated criminal network.

This network included a criminal gang located in the Ballyfermot area of west Dublin, which carried out its own ATM raids in Meath, Louth, Monaghan and Cavan.

Seven individuals associated with the Wexford gang could face charges if the DPP gives the go-ahead. One is a female. She was in charge of the finances. An eighth man facing charges is from the Dublin gang.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern told the Dáil last week that 53 people had been arrested under Operation Slope, which he said began in July 2009.

More than 20 robberies were conducted in the last two years, most of them smash-and-grab operations and a smaller number of violent hotel robberies.

In many of the ATM raids, the gang used steel reinforced jeeps to ram through the front of premises. They then hooked up to the ATM and ripped it out.

In other cases they used stolen JCBs or diggers to demolish ATM bays and scoop out cash machines.

Gardaí have secured key evidence, which cannot be revealed at this time, as well as DNA evidence. They also recovered significant amounts of cash.