Andrew Carey
LIMERICK Gardaí foiled an international ‘theft-to-order’ criminal operation when they seized 72 stolen bicycles from a house in the Castletroy area earlier this week.
Gardaí believe the bicycles were about to be shipped out of the country after being stolen from Castletroy, Monaleen and other areas surrounding the University of Limerick.
Using information gathered through Operation Thor, Gardaí were able to trace a number of the bicycle thefts to the Castletroy area.
Having obtained a search warrant, Gardaí raided the house where they found 72 bicycles with the wheels taken off but cable-tied to their frames for ease of loading into a shipping container.
Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan said that the bikes were in a state of readiness “for export out of the country to illegal markets ahead of Christmas”.
Children’s bikes valued at €100, along with high-spec adults bikes valued at more than €750 were included in the haul that was found under a tarpaulin cover in the back garden of the house.
Chief Supt Sheahan said that some of the bikes were of “high value and specifically stolen for selling on”.
“Most of the bicycles were stolen in April and May of this year which led us to believe that this illegal enterprise, of stealing bikes to supply elsewhere, has been in operation for most of the year if not before.
He described the seizure as a “significant disruption to the illegal trade of stolen goods and one that resulted directly from the increased activities undertaken as part of Operation Thor.
One man was arrested at the scene but he has since been released without charge pending further investigation.
Gardaí are now in the process of documenting the haul with a view to returning the bicycles to their owners.
Some have already been returned but Chief Superintendent Sheahan said that they hoped to return all the bikes to their rightful owners as soon as possible and asked anyone with information to contact them at any Garda Station.
