TWENTY NINE people are due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice following a major operation targeting organised retail theft in Dublin’s Northside area.
The suspects include four women and 25 men, aged between 18 and 60.
They face a combined total of 40 charges linked to 35 separate offences, including theft, criminal damage and assaults on retail staff.
The charges come amid ongoing investigations under Operation Táirge, an initiative led by DMR North Central Division aimed at disrupting organised retail crime networks.
Gardaí said the coordinated operation has been focused on groups suspected of stealing large quantities of goods for resale through online and black market channels.
The Bridewell Community Policing Team has also been working closely with local retailers to provide practical crime prevention advice amid growing concern about theft and staff safety.
Operation Táirge forms part of An Garda Síochána’s broader Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy, which supports regional policing units in monitoring emerging crime patterns and responding to organised crime that targets the retail sector.
The clampdown comes as retailers continue to press the Government for faster delivery of the long-promised Retail Crime Strategy, designed to reduce theft and protect retail workers.
The strategy was pledged in the Programme for Government, and the Minister of State for Retail, Alan Dillon, has said it is expected to be published within the first quarter of next year.
According to the Central Statistics Office, over 30,000 incidents of shop theft were recorded nationwide in the year to March, which is a 3% rise on the previous year.
Garda figures show a 7% increase in retail thefts across Dublin during the first half of 2025.
Operation Táirge was introduced in 2023 and has already led to thousands of arrests and charges.
Garda data shows that in 2024 alone, 8,460 arrests and over 20,000 charges or summonses were recorded under the initiative.
The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association estimates that theft and related offences cost the sector more than €1.6bn annually.
Retailers have also reported a sharp rise in verbal abuse and physical assaults against staff.
Richard Nolan, managing director of a Dublin supermarket, described a recent surge in organised shoplifting as “brazen” and said offenders “act with impunity”, according to RTÉ.
Large retailers such as Circle K have begun installing CCTV-linked warning messages and flashing deterrent lights in dozens of outlets nationwide to protect employees.
Retail Ireland Director Arnold Dillon said incidents of retail crime have surged by almost 50% over the past decade, calling for “urgent action” to strengthen Garda resources and improve information-sharing between police and businesses.
Minister Alan Dillon said the forthcoming strategy will prioritise greater garda visibility and tougher measures against organised criminal gangs.
“Retail crime is a serious issue that affects frontline workers, businesses and communities,” he said.
“The government is determined to deliver a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem early next year.”
See More: An Garda Síochána, Crime, Dublin, Theft
