Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan and Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald have launched a crime clampdown initiative with the codename of Operation Thor. The campaign is expected to cost in the region of €5m.

The plan is aimed at tackling the worst offending crime gangs and burglars in the country. It will see a rollout of new garda recruits in crime blackspots as well as the use of new high-powered Audi and BMW garda cars to tackle thieves who use the motorway network in getting to and from locations they target.

Increased garda presence will be deployed to areas identified as having been repeatedly targeted by thieves. Operation Thor will see an extra 100,000 policing hours.

Five strands

There are five strands to Operation Thor:

  • Crime investigations and operations.
  • Crime prevention.
  • Victim support.
  • Education and awareness.
  • Working in partnership with rural communities through text alert programmes.

    • The Irish Farmers Journal will have a detailed report from the campaign launch on Monday.

    Read more on rural crime

    Department of Justice: electronic tagging does not prevent serious offences

    Operation hurdle targets Christmas tree thieves

    Watershed meeting on rural crime