SAFETY FEARS | 

Gardai on high alert after theft of officer’s personal details and equipment from car

Concerns for safety of respected member of the force following break-in

Today at 02:30

A major security alert was put in place after a garda’s personal car was broken into and details relating to his home address were taken along with public order equipment.

Detectives initially believed this was a targeted incident and that the details of the garda’s address were in the possession of a criminal gang based in Coolock, north Dublin.

However, officers instead arrested a 52-year-old suspect from Dublin’s north inner city who is allegedly involved in the drugs trade. He was held last week in a planned search operation and is expected to be charged in March.

Sources say some of the stolen garda property has been recovered.

Among the items stolen were a baton, a public order helmet and fire-retardant clothing.

The officer’s home is in north Dublin and gardaí have concerns that it may be targeted. There are also concerns that some of the unaccounted-for garda equipment could be used by criminals.

The car break-in happened at Parnell Square, Dublin city, on December 28.

There have been a number of incidents in recent years involving the theft of garda uniforms.

In one such incident, a uniform was allegedly stolen from an officer’s car after he attended a party at a convicted drug dealer’s home.

The officer whose equipment was stolen from his car last month is a highly respected member of the force. He is involved in public order policing in the capital, which became a significant issue after last November’s riots. In the aftermath of the violent disorder, An Garda Síochána ordered 20,000 units of stronger pepper spray for officers involved in this type of policing.

“Thankfully, no pepper spray was taken in the theft last month,” a source said.

Officers based at Store Street garda station continue to investigate the violent disorder that broke out on the night of November 23.

Gardaí are investigating serious assaults that led to 12 officers being injured in the riot, as well as less serious attacks on up to four members of the public.

Tens of millions of euro worth of criminal damage was caused on the night and officers are investigating those behind crimes that led to a Luas and three Dublin Bus vehicles being destroyed by fire. Additionally, six Dublin Bus vehicles were subject to criminal damage not involving fire.

Two garda patrol cars were burnt out and 15 other garda vehicles were damaged.

“Included in the 15 garda cars and vans that were criminally damaged are vehicles that had windows smashed in or had wing mirrors kicked off,” a source outlined.

Garda investigations have established that 15 retail premises were broken into on the night. Many of these were the subject of looting.

There have been 34 arrests so far in relation to the Dublin riots. At least 150 more people are expected to be arrested in the coming weeks once they are identified by gardaí, who have been trawling through 6,000 hours of CCTV footage as part of their investigations.