This article is from page 20 of the 2014-01-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
IT WAS unhappy beginning to the New Year for one Crusheen business when it was the target of a burglary last week.
Thieves failed to remove an ATM from the Mace Supermarket but damage was caused to the premises during the incident, which occurred between 2am and 6.30am on Friday, January 3.
Gardaí explained that the culprits firstly broke into the warehouse and they tried to gain access to the supermarket but failed and they then went and tried the roof but failed again.
Eventually they breached a sidewall and gained entry. They tried to remove the ATM machine but failed and then fled the scene.
Gardaí have issued descriptions of three individuals they believe were involved in the burglary.
One suspect was wearing a shiny jacket with the word “jeep” in yellow writing on the back; he also wore a blue hoody. Another suspect was wearing a grey jacket and a black hoody. Gardaí say the business was damaged in the incident.
The supermarket is open for business but owner Brian Clark said this is not the first time the shop has been targeted by thieves.
Mr Clark said that while nothing was stolen damage was caused to a wall. “It’s intimidating really,” he said of the break-in.
“It’s not nice. You have to go into your office in the early hours of the morning and get down on your hands and knees and clean up this mess,” added Mr Clark.
Separately, gardaí in Ennis are investigating the theft of equipment from a service that provides psychological supports to Clare schools.
The break-in at the National Educational Psychological (NEPS) building on Francis Street occurred between 10.25pm and 10.30pm on Saturday, December 28, 2013.
Three youths seen acting suspiciously in the multi-storey car park at Dunnes Stores fled when they saw gardaí. A check of the area where they ran from found computer equipment in a shopping trolley, which had been stolen earlier.
The NEPS supports the personal, social and educational development of all children through the application of psychological theory and practice in education.
The service is organised on a regional basis with psychologists being assigned to a group of schools.