Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan has warned rural thieves in hiding that it will no longer be a safe bet to commit crime as of now with new emphasis on the countryside.
He states that a new garda task force in local areas will be stronger and insists that all crime gangs in Laois will be caught.
He said: “As Minister I have a clear message to criminals: there is no place to hide. Gardaí have the resources and the skills to prevent crime and to ensure offenders pay the price.
“There may be a perception that rural towns, villages and townlands are soft touches for thieves and burglars – that perception is wrong.
“I am confident that a new Garda Task Force to tackle Crime in the Laois-Offaly division will be highly effective. It will involve local Gardaí and the Emergency Response Unit.
“I welcome and fully support their efforts, and I am confident that measures such as armed checkpoints will send the message to the crime gangs that Laois-Offaly is no safe harbour for them.”
The ministers insists that Laois-Offaly is better armed with skilled Gardaí since the re-opening of Templemore College.
1,400 new members have been trained and a significant 18 recruitments in Laois-Offaly alone.
It is said to have 800 more student said to be recruited this year all around the country.
He added: “The catastrophic economic recession had a negative impact on Garda numbers and Garda resources but Fine Gael in Government has turned the table both economically and in terms of Garda resources.”
Flanagan is confident in Fine Gael and the new Garda resources put into place over the last two years since the recession.
Operation Thor, established in late 2015, is said to have been a success.
The number of burglars has dropped significantly since the operation was put into place, a total of 30 per cent nationally, as quoted in the latest available CSO figures.
He said: “Operation Thor has mounted over 87,000 targeted checkpoints leading to over 6,000 arrests for crimes including burglary, handling stolen property, possession of firearms and drugs offences.”
Garda intelligence has been paying extra attention to the motorway network.
The new investment in the top range of vehicles will be effective with tracking criminals planning an escape through the motorway. Over 720 new Garda vehicles have come on stream since the start of 2015.
Flanagan finished with a report on the recent success, to the previous 24 hours and their arrests. With one last warning to rural household thieves, he stated “Gardaí are targeting criminals who prey on householders and the net is closing on them.”
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