Gardai probe theft of fertiliser worth €21k from Slane factory

Gardai are investigating the theft of 64 tonnes of fertiliser worth €21,000 from the Grasslands factory in Slane in the early hours of Friday morning, 1st May. The lock on the front gate was broken by the culprits who then pointed the CCTV cameras towards the ground. The lock on a shed was broken and they took a forklift which was used to load 64 tonnes of 'Zero Phosphorus" fertiliser onto two articulated lorries. The fertiliser was in half-tonne bags and there were four bags per pallet. Gardai investigating the theft say that this type of fertiliser is not permitted in Ireland but is allowed in Northern Ireland. The total value of the fertiliser is €21,000 and the scene has been technically examined by Gardai. Inquiries to date suggest that the trucks were headed towards the North and Gardai are appealing to anyone who noticed activity around the Grasslands factory in the early hours of Friday morning to contact either Slane or Navan Garda stations. Meanwhile, Navan Gardai made a seizure of cannabis herb valued at €42,000 in St Brigid"s Villas on Thursday of last week, 30th April. In a planned search, Gardai from the Meath Divisional Drugs Unit aided by the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Dog Unit, searched a house in St Brigid"s Villas, where they recovered 2,000 diazepam tablets with a street value of €4,000. In a second search of a nearby house in a follow-up search, three and a half kilos of cannabis herb was discovered that was valued at €42,000. Two males from the Navan area, aged 21 and 24, were arrested in relation to the seizures and were later released without charge. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the case. Navan Gardai are also investigating the robbery of a 17-year-old man at around 8.30pm. The man had walked passed the playground on the Boreen Keel, when he was approached by two youths. They searched his pockets and he tried to run away but they caught him and dragged him to the ground, taking €70 from him. The man was not injured. One youth is described as being aged around 15, blond hair, approximately 5ft 6in and was wearing a dark tracksuit. The other youth was of similar age, had black hair cut tight and was wearing a bright T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. Meanwhile, Gardai are investigating the theft of household appliances valued at €1,300 from a house at Oldtown, Johnstown, between 2am and 2.20am on 4th May. The house was not yet occupied. A red Renault van with possibly a 05D registration was seen acting suspiciously in the area at the time; the scene has been technically examined.