Gardaí attached to the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau assisted by local Gardaí from Kildare and the Garda Air Support Unit carried out an arrest operation in Rathdangan Co Kildare at 4.40am this morning (5/8/15).
Five men were arrested in connection with the theft of ESB overhead power cables. They were detained at Naas and Leixlip Garda Stations, two have been released without charge and investigations are continuing. The three other men have been charged and are expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8. at 10.30 am tomorrow, 6th August 2015 charged in connection with the theft of ESB overhead power lines in Rathangan, Co. Kildare on today’s date
Two cars were also seized in relation to this operation.
Investigations have been carried into the large scale organised theft of live electrical cable throughout the country, over the past number of months. The modus operandi of the group involved was to climb electrical poles and cut large amounts of copper wire over a period of several hours. (Photos of previous incidents attached) This has resulted in power outages to large sections of the country; it presented a serious danger to the public and resulted in millions of Euros worth of damage to ESB power lines. To-date this year 142km’s of power lines have been stolen at a replacement cost of €4.6million.
Detective Chief Superintendent Michael O’ Sullivan was available for interview between 5.30pm and 6.15pm today.
An Garda Síochána liaise with the ESB and other stakeholders in relation to these investigations.
Please e-mail the Garda Press Office pressoffice@garda.ieto arrange interview.
