The Irish Farmers Journal has learned that An Garda Síochána has arrested and charged Garret Kirwan, an AI technician, as part of its investigation into a raft of farm thefts across a number of counties.

According to sources close to the case, gardaí searched Mr Kirwan’s property between 12 and 13 July and found nine boxes of silage wrap that were previously reported as stolen from a well-known agri-business in the surrounding area. The value of the wrap is understood to be in the region of €1,000. Mr Kirwan was subsequently arrested in the early hours of 13 July.

Mr Kirwan appeared in court in Portlaoise on 28 July and was charged with handling stolen property. The Irish Farmers Journal understands more charges are being brought against him. He was released on bail and is due to appear in court again in September.

Gardaí made the arrest as part of an investigation into a gang who stand accused of robbing a range of items from farm properties in Laois, Tipperary, Offaly, Carlow and Kilkenny.

The Irish Farmers Journal has contacted Mr Kirwan and his legal team. They refute allegations that he had been collaborating with this gang and intend to fight the charges “tooth and nail”.

Mr Kirwan added that the allegations had been very hard on him and his family.

Arrests

Separately, gardaí had previously arrested three men on the night of 12 July who are allegedly involved in the gang. Thomas McInenery, William McInerney and Gerard McInerney, all in their 30s, were arrested and appeared before Tullamore District Court, where they were charged on 13 July. They were later remanded in custody in Cloverhill prison until 31 August, when they will appear again before the court.

Stolen jeep

According to sources close to the case, the three men are accused of stealing a Mitsubishi L200 jeep from the farm of a farmer in Co Laois, on the night of 23 to 24 June.

They allegedly took a circuitous route through the farm to steal the jeep, rather than come through the front gate.

Gardaí stopped the men in the jeep at a road checkpoint at Cloncourse, Portlaoise, shortly after midnight on 12 July.

The three men rammed a garda patrol car and then collided with another garda vehicle. Four gardaí received non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and attended Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. No other injuries were reported.

The three men fled the scene but were later arrested.

Vehicles, trailers and other farm equipment have been recovered during ongoing searches in connection with this gang operation, which gardaí say has been particularly active over the past six months.

Below market value

The IFA county chair for Laois, Francis Gorman, has congratulated the gardaí for their work on this case.

“I would like to also encourage farmers to be vigilant and to ensure they buy items from reputable sources,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Gardaí have echoed this sentiment, saying criminals do not steal goods unless they have a market to sell it. They are therefore urging farmers to be “wary of buying items for less than market value”.

Amy McShane and Thomas Hubert contributed reporting for this story.

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