A DRIVER who pulled in outside a Newbridge petrol station on Saturday afternoon fell victim to a pair of opportunistic thieves who took the black Honda and drove away.
The car was taken from outside McLoughlin’s garage at Ballymany at around 3.15pm on Saturday afternoon and according to Sgt Seamus Rothwell of Newbridge garda station, the suspects in the case were two women who were later seen in Tullow, Co Carlow, when a woman’s handbag was snatched in a supermarket at around 4.20pm.
Finally, at 8.30pm, the car, occupied by the two women, was stopped while travelling at high speed in the direction of Gorey, Co Wexford. The two, one of whom gave an address in Dublin, the other a Carlow address, were then arrested. Sgt Rothwell stated that the matter is now being dealt with by gardaí in Gorey.
Meanwhile cocaine and other drugs with a street value of around €3,000 were found when Newbridge gardaí searched a house in the town on Friday last 27 August.
According to Sergeant Seamus Rothwell, the search was carried out under the Misuse of Drugs Act and it revealed “a quantity of controlled drugs, mainly cocaine”.
He added that garda investigations are continuing.
Thieves who broke into a house at Liffey View, Newbridge, between 3am and 7.30am on Wednesday morning last 25 August, took the keys of the black Fiat Leon which was then driven away from outside the house. Gardaí are still searching for the car, registration number 06 C 9851.
In two other recent incidents, sat-nav devices were stolen from cars in Newbridge. The first incident occurred on the night of Friday 27/Saturday 28 August, between 9.30pm on Friday night and 6.30am the following morning. Along with the sat-nav equipment, a handbag was also stolen from the car which was parked outside a house at Curragh Grange.
A sat-nav device was also taken from a car parked at Liffey Hall on the same night, between 11pm on Friday 27 and 9am on Saturday 28. Sergeant Rothwell said Newbridge gardaí are warning local drivers to ensure that cars are locked at all times, including when parked outside private houses and in garage forecourts. He added that any valuables should be removed, including sat-nav equipment, as this appears to be a target for thieves at present.
Newbridge gardaí are also investigating a burglary which took place at a house in the Roseberry area early last Thursday evening, between 5.30pm and 9.30pm. Entry was gained through a rear window and a number of items taken. Anyone with information about any of these incidents is asked to contact Newbridge garda station on 045 431212.