Boy (14) at home alone is terrorised by gang of raiders armed with crowbars

Three men forced their way in before stealing jewellery and designer handbags

Today at 02:30

A 14-year-old boy was terrorised by a gang of armed raiders who forced their way into his rural home in Co Louth in an aggravated burglary.

The boy, who was at home alone, was bundled into a room by the three-man gang, who were armed with screwdrivers and crowbars when they ransacked the property in the Cooley area of Co Louth.

A significant quantity of jewellery and designer handbags were stolen in the raid, which sources believe was carried out by an organised gang last Monday night.

The gang fled the scene in a grey ­Volvo S60 car which officers believe may be linked to other burglaries.

Bleach was used to destroy evidence at the crime scene. The child was not injured by the gang.

Gardaí released an alert appealing for witnesses, particularly anyone driving on the main Dundalk to Carlingford Road between 4pm and 6pm.

“Gardaí at Dundalk are appealing for information in connection with an aggravated burglary at a private residence in the Ballymascanlon area of Dundalk on Monday, April 22, 2024,” a spokesperson said.

“Between 5.15pm and 5.45pm, three masked males entered the property, armed with what are described as an iron bar and other tools. While no one was physically harmed, several items were stolen before the suspects fled the scene in a car.

“Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them,” they added.

The Volvo S60 is one of a number of different cars being used by organised burglary gangs nationwide. The Irish Independent revealed last week how a number of burglary gangs across the country are using high-powered cars to evade gardaí day and night.

A senior source said the disbandment of the garda anti-burglary unit last month “could not have come at a worse time”.