Gardai charge 21 people as part of operation targeting robbery, burglary and theft in Dublin

Gardaí have arrested 21 people as part of an operation targeting criminal activity with particular emphasis on robbery, burglary and theft in Dublin.

Officers attached to the Coolock and Raheny districts have arrested and charged 21 people as part of ongoing investigations under Operation Thor and Operation Tairge, targeting crime in the North East Dublin Metropolitan Region areas of Coolock and Raheny.

Three females and 18 males have been arrested as part of this investigation. A total of 20 people are expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Thursday morning at 10.30am. One person will appear before the Children’s Court in Smithfield on Thursday morning at 10.30am. Gardaí said that investigations are ongoing.

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Operation Thor, launched in November 2015, is designed to tackle the anticipated increase in the number of burglaries and associated criminal activity that usually occur in winter months by undertaking targeted enforcement and preventative activity.

This initiative has successfully reduced the rate of winter burglaries, leading to a significant decline in property-related crime since its introduction in 2015. The winter phase of Operation Thor commenced on October 1, 2024, and will run until the end of March 2025.

Operation Táirge is part of An Garda Síochána’s Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy supporting operational activity aimed at detecting and preventing Organised Retail Crime (ORC).

Organised retail crime (ORC) typically refers to situations where a number of persons are acting together, targeting retailer outlets to steal significant quantities of goods to resell back into the retail supply chain through the black market. It can also involve refund fraud with the purpose of making a financial or material benefit. ORC is usually coordinated and well-organised by people who recruit others to commit theft from retailers.

Operation Táirge is led by the Organised Retail Crime Tasking and Co-ordination Group within An Garda Síochána and supports each Garda region to monitor and respond to emerging trends in their area.

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