Missing gun turns up in locker at garda station

GARDAÍ have discovered the firearm and ammunition that was missing from a Garda station for over a week.

Following a report in the Irish Examiner yesterday which reported how a revolver and several rounds of ammunition were missing from a secure area in Tipperary Garda Station, the gun and bullets mysteriously reappeared yesterday morning.

It is understood the gun and up to 32 bullets were found in a garda’s locker.

The gun was not assigned to any one garda but belonged to the station and was being stored in a secure locked up area when it went missing last week.

Normally, only a limited number of more senior members of the force have the authority to sign off on a weapon’s release at a garda station.

A senior garda from outside the area had been appointed by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy to investigate the disappearance of the arms, which was described by the force as “extremely rare”.

When contacted yesterday, Chief Superintendent Michael McGarry from the Kilkenny division said he could not comment on his investigation but said it was ongoing.

The .38-calibre Smith and Wesson revolver and at least 32 rounds of ammunition were discovered at the station yesterday morning. The weapon had been removed from a secure area at the station over a week ago.

A Garda spokesman confirmed late on Thursday night that the Garda-issue weapon was still missing.

But yesterday morning, it was discovered at the station. A spokesman said that it had been confirmed that the gun and ammunition were not brought outside the station during the period and that the gun had not been fired.

The disappearance of the gun emerged during an internal audit of items at the Tipperary site.

The mystery disappearance of the gun and ammunition and eventual find will still be investigated by Chief Superintendent McGarry, it was confirmed last night, and will involve the interviewing of gardaí at the station.