Ram raid spree prompts call for more Garda resources

The scene outside Three Shop on Dublin's Henry Street earlier this week, after a car drove into the front of the shop. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

A spree of so-called "ram raids" on business premises around the country has prompted retail representatives to call for a major increase in Garda resources.

Over the past two weeks, six retail units in Kildare, Meath, Wicklow, Dublin City and Galway City have been targeted by criminals, who broke in after crashing vehicles through their storefronts.

Earlier this week, a Three mobile phone shop on Henry Street in Dublin city centre was raided after thieves crashed a stolen Mercedes through the shutters of the shop, causing thousands of euro worth of damage. A Garda investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Another mobile phone shop, operated by Eir in Nass, Co Kildare, has been targeted twice over the last fortnight.

In January, a high-profile ram raid occurred when criminals drove a vehicle through the store front of the Hugo Boss shop on Dublin's Grafton Street. The thieves made off with an estimated €25,000 worth of merchandise and caused more than €50,000 worth of damage to the premises.

Keelan Bourke, head of commercial with Retail Excellence Ireland, said the recent spate of ram raid robberies around the country was "highly concerning."

He also believes retailers "have not seen the requisite support from the gardaí to date".

A clear trend of criminality has emerged which needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency and we need to see additional Garda resources in the streets to help retailers in need.” 

Mr Bourke said "retailers are only just emerging from the toughest three years they’ve ever experienced" and attacks of this nature "could result in many retailers either going out of business or deciding to leave the Irish market".

"They also cause worry and anxiety for staff who may be concerned about being onsite either early or late in the day because of these incidents," he said.

A Garda spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that, in relation to retail-related crime, the force "has positive relationships with external stakeholders through the National Strategic Forum".

They said the forum "provides Retail Forum members the opportunity to raise any issues or concerns, and give An Garda Síochána the opportunity to provide forum members with crime trends and the sharing of crime prevention knowledge to reduce and prevent crime."

The spokesperson added that a number of policing operations similar to Dublin's Operation Citizen were being run on "a national basis in order to ensure a positive, safe environment for all'.