State agencies involved in crackdown on metal thieves

Hundreds of gardaí, Customs, Revenue, and social welfare officials have been involved in a major crackdown on people engaged in the multimillion-euro theft of metals.

As part of an EU-wide co-ordinated operation to tackle the growing problem, the multi-agency taskforce started the crackdown at 8am yesterday in a 24-hour operation targeting thieves who have stripped the country of everything from bronze statues of Celtic goddesses to copper cables.

The theft of metal has been replicated throughout the EU and police forces across the Continent believe the metal is being smelted down and exported to emerging economies in India and China “to furnish their furnaces”.