Spate of burglaries in Kildare as one victim calls for more resources to tackle rural break-ins

A spate of burglaries have been reported across Kildare in recent days - as one burglary victim has called for more garda resources to tackle break-ins.

Kildare Gardai are investigating three burglaries that occurred on Saturday, March 26 last in Monasterevin, Donadea and Maynooth.

Lt Col Gerry Mullins said his home in the rural Kilcock area was targeted by three intruders driving in a dark-coloured Volvo car at 11am on on March 23 last.

CCTV images of the suspects were provided by Lt Col Mullins.

The men were disturbed by a neighbour and fled the scene but they caused damage to property.

Lt Col Mullins, who took part in two Olympics, said: "More resources need to be put into tackling burglaries, especially in rural areas.

"I believe there is at least one gang moving around the north Kildare area and looking for easy targets.

"People need to be able to feel safe in their homes and feel protected by burglary gangs."

During his jumping career, Lt Col Mullins represented Ireland on 50 Nations’ Cup teams and won over 100 individual classes.
He finished fourth and seventh at the World Championships in 1982 and 1986 respectively.

In the most recent burglaries, a house was entered in the Ballykelly area of Monasterevin between 1pm and 3pm on March 26 when the homeowner was out.
A back window was smashed in the incident.

At 11.15am on the same day in Donadea, two men with black face masks were seen with a crow bar at the side door of a property. They were disturbed and fled from the area.

Also on March 26 in the Meadowbrook estate in Maynooth, a side window was smashed in an unoccupied house between 9am and 6pm when the occupant was away.

Kildare Gardaí urged householders to be vigilant and to lock all doors and windows and turn on intruder alarms even if leaving home for short periods.

Operation Thor, launched in November 2015, is designed to tackle burglaries and associated criminal activity in winter months by undertaking targeted enforcement and preventative activity.

Gardaí said this initiative has successfully reduced the rate of winter burglaries, leading to a significant decline in property related crime since its introduction in 2015.

Community Gardaí also run a number of crime prevention programmes to encourage active participation with the public.

Gardaí along with Muintir na Tíre has established over 1,400 Community Alert groups in rural Ireland - to help prevent crime and assist vulnerable people in rural Ireland.
In addition, there are over 2000 active Neighbourhood Watch Schemes nationwide.