9 hours ago
47 people appear in court connected to Garda probe into theft and burglary
Almost 50 people have appeared in court in relation to a Garda operation targeting thefts in North Dublin.
As part of ongoing investigations under Operation Táirge, Gardaí from the DMR North Division have arrested and charged 47 individuals in connection with recent incidents of robbery, burglary and theft in the capital.
A total of 76 charges are being brought against those arrested in this phase of the investigation. The 47 individuals appeared before Courts 1 and 4 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, as well as Balbriggan District Court, on Wednesday morning (June 18).
Gardaí said that investigations are ongoing.
Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) Paul Cleary said: "The success of this operation highlights our commitment to pursue those involved in organised retail theft and bring them before the courts.
'We will continue to work hard to protect businesses and their staff from crime and today's result demonstrates this."
Operation Táirge is part of An Garda Síochána's Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy supporting operational activity aimed at detecting and preventing Organised Retail Crime (ORC).
Organised retail crime (ORC) typically refers to situations where a number of persons are acting together, targeting retailer outlets to steal significant quantities of goods to resell back into the retail supply chain through the black market.
It can also involve refund fraud with the purpose of making a financial or material benefit. ORC is usually co-ordinated and well-organised by people who recruit others to commit theft from retailers.
Operation Táirge is led by the Organised Retail Crime Tasking and Co-ordination Group within An Garda Síochána and supports each Garda region to monitor and respond to emerging trends in their area.
