Gangs spying on gardaí before city raids

Gangs of Eastern European shoplifters have been monitoring gardaí and private security personnel before launching raids at shops in Cork City when they know they are not around.

The gangs have been able to ascertain at what times uniformed gardaí on regular anti-shoplifting patrols are working.

As a result, gardaí have been forced to change tactics and have drafted in additional plainclothes officers to tackle the gangs in the run-up to Christmas.