Roscommon residents ‘sick and tired’ of burglaries after attack on Elphin Mart

A district councillor in Co. Roscommon has said people living in the north of the county are “sick and tired” of burglaries after Elphin Livestock Mart was targeted by what is believed to be a criminal gang last weekend.

Councillor Sean Moylan said Agricultural land that a series of robberies have taken place in the area over the past six weeks.

“It’s an ongoing problem and it seems to us, as a public, that it’s the same group or groups of people doing it because they do the same things, so Elphin Mart is just one of them,” said Cllr Moylan.

Gardaí confirmed they are investigating a burglary at a property in Elphin, which took place in the early hours of Sunday, September 15.

Gardaí are investigating stolen goods and criminal damage. No arrests have been made at this time.

It is believed that an amount of money was stolen and damage was caused to the market’s electrical infrastructure.

Councillor Moylan said: “It’s gotten to the point now where we’re just sick and tired of it.”

The councillor said the problem is being made worse by the shortened opening hours of police stations in the region.

“Our police stations in rural towns like Elphin, Tulsk, Bellanagare and Frenchpark have been closed or operating very short hours for a long time,” he said.

“This looks like a gang. They come into the area, attack four or five areas in quick succession and then leave,” he added.

Councillor Moylan said he has called on Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Commissioner of An Garda Síochána Drew Harris to review the policing plan for Roscommon and the general area affected by these crimes.

“We have our full council meeting early next week and I expect the council on behalf of Roscommon County Council and the councillors present there to make a call to amend the plan here and extend our (police station) opening hours so that we have a more visible presence,” he said.

“People are getting really tired of being robbed and their neighbors getting robbed, and every night there seem to be gangs coming out and doing this,” the councilman added.

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