FIVE members of a criminal gang have been arrested following investigations into a scam involving people impersonating gardaí.
Two men in their 30s, a man in his 50s, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 50s were all arrested this morning, Gardaí have confirmed.
“Today gardaí from the Garda Eastern Region investigating the activities of a criminal gang involved in theft and fraud by impersonating members of An Garda Síochána have arrested 5 persons,” they state.
“The five persons have been arrested on suspicion of offences contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 as amended and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 at 5 separate Garda stations across the Eastern Region,” they added.
A number of searches related to the investigation are ongoing in three counties across the Dublin and the Eastern Regions, they explained.
The investigation is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer, based out of an incident room at Kilkenny Regional Headquarters, who has been investigating the gangs activities across 15 counties, primarily in the east and the midlands, over the past 10 months.
“Today’s searches and arrests are being conducted by detectives from the Eastern Region, supported by uniform colleagues and Regional Armed Support Units,” the police force confirmed.
They added that the theft/fraud involved members of the gang calling to rural homes “impersonating a member of An Garda Síochána, claiming they were investigating burglaries in the area where sums of cash had been stolen and that they were attempting to identify the owners of the cash, or counterfeit cash”.
“The requested to compare cash in their possession against cash held by the home owner and then proceed to take any cash from the home owner," they explain.
In a statement the force urge members of the public to be vigilant against his type of scam.
“An Garda Síochána has previously issued crime prevention advice in relation to this type of bogus tradesmen callers,” they state.
“Members of An Garda Síochána will not cold call to a house and request to check cash in this manner.
“An Garda Síochána wish to remind the public that any Garda member calling to your door will have identification.
“However, should you have any concerns about the person at the door, you should not answer the door even if they are purporting to be a Garda.
“Genuine Gardaí will always provide official details to allow you to confirm their identity with your local Garda Station and will be patient while you choose to so.”
