Gardaí search for gang after 5 Kerry pubs are burgled

Three rural Kerry parishes where Garda stations have been closed were targeted by an opportunist gang of thieves in the past week during a crime spree which involved raids on five separate public houses.

The culprits raided bars in Kilgarvan, Lauragh, and Castlegregory — where stations have been closed — as well as Annascaul in West Kerry, and the Mid-Kerry village of Firies.

It was confirmed yesterday that the robberies occurred in a 24-hour period on Jan 29/30, and the thieves made off with goods worth thousands of euro, including cigarettes, alcohol, and cash.

The first premises targeted was Boland’s Bar, Cloghane, Castlegregory, where a cigarette machine and its contents, valued at €6,000, was ripped from the wall.

In nearby Keane’s pub in Annascaul, the back door was forced in and a sum of money and cigarettes were taken, while a cigarette machine and its contents was also stolen from The Shanty Bar in Ballyfinane, Firies.

The remote Sailors Bar in Tuosist, Lauragh, was the next premises on to be raided and, again, a cigarette machine was stolen, along with a television and a sum of cash.

In another early morning raid, alcohol and other goods were stolen from O’Reilly’s Bar in Kilgarvan.

It is one of just two pubs remaining in the remote village, with the other premises owned by Cllr Danny Healy-Rae.

A number of cars were also stolen in the West Cork and Kerry area in the same 24-hour period, and gardaí believe they were most likely used by the thieves during the raid. The vehicles, which included a jeep and a Toyota Yaris, have since been recovered.

Gardaí have appealed to anybody with information to come forward.

Twelve rural Garda stations have now been closed in Kerry as part of the Government’s effort to slash costs.

Despite protests, Justice Minister Alan Shatter has insisted the decision to close 100 Garda stations nationwide will not be reversed.