Man questioned over steel theft

GARDAÍ have questioned a man in his 40s following the theft of €300,000 of steel girders which, they believe, were smuggled out of the country.

The girders were stolen from a compound on the outskirts of Cork city and were loaded onto a number of trucks before being taken away in what gardaí described as an audacious and highly organised operation.

The girders, known as RSJs, had been stored at North Esk, Glanmire, in a compound which is adjacent to the former Ibis Hotel. Detectives from Glanmire and Cobh raided a house in Macroom at 7am on Saturday and arrested the man, aged in his 40s. They also seized a number of documents. A Garda source said the man had never come to their attention before but described his arrest as a “significant development” in the investigation.

The man was taken to Cobh Garda Station where he was detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. After being questioned for a number of hours he was released without charge. Gardaí said a file would now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Detectives are working on the theory the steel was robbed-to-order rather than cut up and sold on for scrap. They also believe it may have been taken from the compound by four trucks sometime between 8am and 5pm on December 29 last.

“Our inquiries are continuing. We believe the steel may have left this jurisdiction,” the Garda source said. “It is likely that we will be liaising with other police forces as part of our inquiry.” He said while December 29 was the most likely date the steel was stolen gardaí are still anxious to hear from anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity near the former hotel between December 27 and 30 last.

* Anyone with information has been asked to contact Cobh Garda Station at 021 4908530 or Glanmire Garda Station at 021 4821002.