Brazen thieves target toll booths and filling station in Enfield

Some €2,000 in cash was stolen and significant damage was caused to the two toll booths on the slip roads off the M4 at Enfield, which were broken into during the early hours of yesterday (Tuesday) morning. It is believed that there were three men involved as the toll booths on the east and west slip roads, which are not manned, were targeted between 1.30am and 2am on Tuesday morning. The culprits removed the containers, which held the coins, from the booths and took them to a nearby field where they broke into the containers and removed the coins. The containers were left behind and have been technically examined, along with the toll booths themselves. It is understood that substantial damage was caused to both booths. It is believed that the culprits used a narrow rural road to get from one booth to the other, and Gardai are appealing to anyone who noticed any suspicious vehicles on the road around that time to contact them. Meanwhile, Gardai in Enfield are also investigating at break-in to a filling station on the main street in the early hours of last Thursday morning where €9,000 worth of cigarettes and a small amount of cash were stolen. The TOP filling station, which is across the road from the local Garda station, was broken into at approximately 1.50am and it is believed that four males, who were wearing balaclavas, were involved. The front door of the premises was forced to gain entry and the culprits first slashed two tyres on the patrol car parked at the Garda station across the road so that Gardai could not give chase. It is believed that the culprits made their getaway in the direction of Mullingar in a dark blue or black four-door Mazda saloon, which had different registration plates at front and back. CCTV is being examined as part of Garda investigations. Ballivor Gardai are investigating are a burglary at Muchwood, Ballivor, between 11am and 11pm on Thursday 25th February where property worth €700 was taken. Entry was gained by forcing a rear window and the house was ransacked. A crystal clock and clothing to the value of €700 were taken. A dark blue/black Ford Transit van with a O7 D registration was seen in the area, that had a yellow rear registration plate. Gardai are anxious to speak to anyone who may have noticed this vehicle. Another burglary at Clonbarron, Kildalkey, which occurred betweed midnight on 25th February and 7am on 26th February is being investigated. The door lock was broken by a barrel-popper to gain entry. A handbag containing a small amount of cash was taken. A car was also broken into at Clonbarron at around the same time where a sat-nav worth approximately €250 was taken. The District Drugs Unit and District Crime Unit in Trim have seized drugs worth €5,000 following a planned search of a house in Lackanash, Trim, on 25th February. Cannabis herb and cannabis plants with an estimated value of €5,000 were found by Gardai and two males aged 19 and 23 were arrested in relation to the seizure. They were later released and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).