The Co Kildare teenager is being questioned by detectives from the North West region about a spate of up to 20 burglaries and thefts
The Co Kildare teenager is being questioned by detectives from the North West region about a spate of up to 20 burglaries and thefts across six counties in recent months.
His older brother – also a juvenile in his mid-teens is also being questioned about the crimewave in which mainly rural homes were targeted.
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News in 90 Seconds – Wednesday, October 15
If charged and convicted the juvenile boys could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison under the legislation that they are being questioned under.
Sources say that the boys are suspected of working for their father who is aged in his early 40s and is currently in custody after being charged with handling stolen property.
This serial criminal from north Co Kildare is being investigated for directing the activities of a criminal organisation.
Among his many previous convictions are firearms offences, theft and criminal damage.
He was identified by detectives as a main player in the gang during the summer before he was locked up on the singular charge two months ago.
The family based gang have been using the motorway system to travel the country in cars which were bought from legitimate car trading websites and are described as “non-descript, not high power” in an attempt to avoid garda attention.
“Organised crime legislation has been used here because that is exactly what has occurred where up to 20 properties were targeted,” a source told the Sunday World.
“There is no evidence that any of these crimes were particularly high end in terms of what was stolen but it was an organised spree that went on from the border counties and then into Sligo and Leitrim.
“Homes were invaded and victims were left devastated apart from being fleeced for cash and their property. While violence was not used in these break-ins, the properties were targeted in a focused way.
“A decision was made by gardai in the North West Region to classify the activities of this gang as organised crime and hence the arrests of the juveniles,” the source explained.
While the crime spree happened, garda figures show that there has been a reduction of approximately 75% in residential burglaries last winter compared to a decade ago.
Over 900 people were detained for burglary-related activity were made over the last six months – or four arrests a day.
Gardai are working closely with the Criminal Assets Bureau and the PSNI to target six “networks” they believe are heavily involved in burglaries and organised crime.
Gardai announced details of the arrest operation today.
A spokesperson said: “As part of ongoing investigations into organised criminal activity linked to rural burglaries and criminality in the Garda North Western Region, Gardaí carried out searches at properties in Co Kildare today, Wednesday, 15th October 2025.
“Gardaí from the Sligo-Leitrim and Louth-Cavan-Monaghan Divisions carried out the searches in Naas and two male juveniles were arrested and are currently being detained at a Garda station in the Eastern Region under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.”