Thieves who targeted Culloty ‘had local knowledge’

It’s odd-on that thieves who stole thousands of euro worth of property belonging to Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Jim Culloty struck when they knew he was out of the country and had worked out how to get out of his home without being spotted.

Last night, Mr Culloty said thankfully he was fully insured and “it was a small price to pay” for winning one of racing’s most prestigious prizes.

It is likely the thieves struck at his Churchtown, Co Cork, home on the same day he celebrated Lord Windermere’s win in the classic. The thieves helped themselves to his 4x4, equipment including an air compressor, chainsaws, welders, and other tools.

He said he had CCTV cameras on his main entrance gate and it was noticed at around 10pm last Thursday that a car drove into the property and left a short time later.

“Whether they were casing the place at that time or not I don’t know,” said the trainer and former jockey.

“But when they left [at an unknown time later but probably in the early hours of Friday morning] in my jeep they drove down a boreen over a mile long and out the back gate, which they took the hinges off to get out.”

There was no CCTV coverage of the back gate and the thieves could have later driven onto the main road leading to Buttevant, or headed in the direction of Liscarroll.

The break-in was discovered at 7am last Friday, hours before the Gold Cup triumph, and immediately reported to the gardaí, who are trying to trace the movements of Culloty’s stolen red Toyota HiLux 4x4, registration 07-C-9022.

Mr Culloty said he had discussed the stolen items with his insurance company and believed the 4x4 was valued at around €10,000-plus and the equipment a further €5,000.

Garda sources have appealed to anybody with information to contact Mallow Garda Station at 022 31450.