Gardaí now using high-powered cars to take on gangs
A new Garda fleet of high-powered vehicles to combat criminal gangs
An Garda Síochána has purchased a new fleet of 191 high-powered vehicles in order to combat criminal gangs who have faster cars. €4 million has been invested in the new vehicles.
Many of the vehicles will be used in the 'motorway patrol unit' which will target criminal gangs. These gangs are using Ireland’s motorway network to carry out burglaries and other crimes and making quick getaways.
The purchase of the new vehicle fleet is part of a new scheme which will see increased surveillance of criminal gangs. It is also planned to have more enhanced night-time public order policing.
The new high-powered vehicles will be marked and unmarked patrol cars. It includes cars for surveillance and other covert operations. The new motorcycles will mainly be used for public order policing. The high-powered fleet will allow the force to deter and intercept gangs specifically targeting rural areas.
The new fleet purchase comes on the foot of accusations that the Government has not done enough to combat serious crime, especially in rural Ireland which has become a target for the criminal gangs.
It is believed that 10 Dublin-based gangs, involving about 300 criminals are operating in rural areas and have been the cause behind the rural crime wave. The gangs are using high-powered getaway vehicles that can often outrun Garda vehicles.
The main complaint by the Gardaí has been that their vehicles were too old and too slow. At this point, 38 per cent of the Garda fleet is under two years old, compared to 5 per cent back in 2012.
One Garda source said, "Investment in new cars is contributing to reductions in crime and is vital to ensure the continued success key Garda operations such as Operation Thor,"
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