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You are > Home > Burglars chased at high speed across county
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24 January 2012
Burglars chased at high speed across county
By Mairead O'Shea
A HIGH speed cross-country Garda chase, involving up to twenty officers and ten patrol cars, took place in the early hours of Monday morning following a break-in at a Ballinlough filling station.
The drama began at 3.55 a.m. when four men wearing balaclavas broke into the Costcutters shop and filling station on the Ballyhaunis Road in Ballinlough village. The alarm system was trig-gered and the thieves were startled by an off duty Garda who lives in the area. The men were in the process of loading stolen cigarettes into their green coloured Saab when the off duty officer approached the scene. The thieves then fled in an 08 OY registered vehicle. The quick thinking Garda pursued the gang in his own car towards Castlerea. A high speed Garda chase then ensued as the thieves travelled across back roads throughout Castlerea, Tarmonbarry and Lanesboro before Gardai eventually lost sight of the vehicle in the Slatta area of Roosky.
Sergeant Frank Egan of Castlerea Garda Station said the incident went on for over an hour and a half at speeds of over 100km per hour. “The chase went on from 4 a.m. until 5.30 a.m. and up to ten Garda cars from Castlerea, Roscommon, Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Mullingar and Granard, with up to twenty officers, were involved,” said Sergeant Egan.
Meanwhile Castlerea Fianna Fail Councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice was critical of the fact that Castlerea Gardai only had a 05 Ford Fiesta and a transit to chase the criminals. “Castlerea Gardai have not been allocated the proper funding to purchase additional vehicles. They were trying to chase an 08 Saab in an old 05 Ford Fiesta, which is ridiculous. They hadn’t a chance of keeping up with the criminals. I am calling on the Minister for Justice and Deputy Frank Feighan to allocate funding for Castlerea so they will have the proper vehicles to chase criminals,” said Cllr Fitzmaurice.
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