under surveillance Five members of infamous burglary mob caught red-handed by gardai

FIVE members of one of the country's most prolific burglary gangs have been arrested during a garda surveillance operation this evening.

The mob were detained following a house burglary in south Dublin and all five men remain in garda custody.

It is believed they are central members of the notorious Cock/Wall burglary gang who have been linked to crime waves across the country.

They were arrested after targeting a house in the McIntosh Park area of Dun Laoghaire shortly before 7pm this evening.

A senior source said that armed detectives had placed them under surveillance and were watching their every move as they burgled the home.

"They went into every room; the occupant was in the house at the time but was completely unaware of what was going on.

"It shows how good they are at what they do that they can creep into the property without drawing attention to themselves.

"Fortunately, gardaí had an operation in place watching them and once they left the premises, they were all arrested," a senior source said.

The men in garda custody are understood to be aged between their early 20s and 40s and are being held at separate garda stations in the capital.

Three are currently being quizzed in Dun Laoghaire Garda Station while two are being held for questioning in Dundrum.

Two of those arrested are senior members of the 'Cock Wall' gang who are suspected of leading the mob's nationwide crime waves.

The men, both aged in his 40s, cannot be named for legal reasons as they are currently facing serious charges before the courts.

The three other suspects in garda custody are believed to be related to the senior associates.

This evening's operation was carried out by members of the Garda's anti-burglary unit attached to Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB)

The gang are also expected to be questioned in relation to a number of other burglaries.

A source said: "These are very significant arrests for gardaí as part of their ongoing investigations into organised burglary gangs.

"The gangs, in particular the 'Cock Wall' crew, have been terrorising communities in across the country."

The 'Cock Wall' gang have been prime targets for gardaí for decades and have around 80 key associates based across the east coast.

The gang has been linked to break-ins nationwide, travelling in groups of four or five to blitz a rural town before using the country’s motorway network to flee.

Detectives previously identified a new generation of thugs aged in their teens and early 20s who they now believe are the predominant burglary team for the ‘Cock Wall’ gang.

Online Editors