Dramatic increase in thefts and burglaries in Kerry

Burglaries and thefts in Kerry have increased dramatically this summer and are at a historically high level, according to gardaí.

Senior gardaí say they believe the county is being targeted by gangs from both inside and outside the country.

The criminals are using a number of different vehicles to avoid detection, and evade pursuit.

Garda statistics, as yet unpublished, show a 30% increase in burglaries in the tourist belt of Killarney and south Kerry alone this summer.

Churches, tourist viewing points, vehicles, farms, and private houses, including that of the Kerry South TD Michael Healy-Rae, have been hit in the past month.

Dozens of vehicles have been broken into on beaches and at tourist viewing points, leading gardaí in Kerry to repeatedly warn visitors to beaches and viewing points not to leave property visible in cars.

Gardaí have apprehended around eight individuals so far this summer, with some arrests taking place outside churches, but the attacks are continuing and gardaí say they fear several gangs, unrelated, are targeting the county.

“There are different gangs, people are travelling in and out of the county and changing vehicles to avoid being pursued,” a senior garda said. Non-Irish people are involved, as are native Irish, the garda stressed.

The vast majority of burglaries and thefts are carried out with stealth, and without confrontation with the owners.

However, in the latest incident, on Thursday night two masked men with foreign accents kicked the door into Herbert’s shop and pub in Kilflynn, near Tralee, at around 9.40pm and demanded money.

One of the men was wielding a knife and threatened the barman/shopkeeper, who refused to hand over anything. The men, wearing hoodies, escaped under a bridge and across fields.

Gardaí believe the culprits visited the quiet village in the afternoon to ‘case’ the shop.