Retail Excellence Ireland Calls For More Garda Presence Following Kildare Phone Shop Burglaries.

Thursday, 6 July 2023 14:52

The incidents occurred in Naas and Newbridge last week.

Retail Excellence Ireland (REI), the largest representative body for the retail industry in Ireland, has called for a major increase in Garda resources to address what is describes as "a nationwide retail crime spree."

Over the past two weeks, six retail units across the country, including two in Kildare, have been targeted by criminals who typically break into the premises by ramming them with a car before escaping with stolen goods.

These retail units are:

Vodafone in Newbridge
Eir in Naas (targeted twice in two weeks)
Vodafone in Trim
Eir in Bray
3 Mobile in Henry St, Dublin city
Select in Galway city

These incidents have come on the back of the high-profile ramming of the Boss store on Dublin’s Grafton Street earlier this year.

Speaking today, Keelan Bourke, Head of Commercial with REI, said: “It is highly concerning to see this spate of robberies nationwide and unfortunately, retailers have not seen the requisite support from the gardai to date. A clear trend of criminality has emerged which needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency and we need to see additional Garda resources in the streets to help retailers in need.”

He said that retailers could not afford to be targeted in this manner. “Retailers are only just emerging from the toughest three years they’ve ever experienced, and these kinds of attacks could result in many retailers either going out of business or deciding to leave the Irish market. They also cause worry and anxiety for staff who may be concerned about being onsite either early or late in the day because of these incidents.”

Mr Bourke added that retailers in general had noted an increase in abuse against staff, and he urged the public to be kind and considerate to retail workers.

Anyone with any information on the burglaries in Newbridge or Naas is asked to contact their local Garda station.