Members of An Garda Síochána arrested a man that attempted to siphon diesel from a digger in Co. Monaghan over the bank holiday weekend.
The man in question – aged in his 30s – was apprehended after local Gardaí noticed him acting suspiciously in the early hours of Saturday morning, May 2.
Taking to social media, Gardaí based in the Cavan/Monaghan region explained:
In the early hours of [Saturday] morning, Gardaí in Clones were carrying out Covid-19 patrols when they observed a male acting suspiciously in the vicinity of a digger parked along the side of the road.
“The man attempted to flee the scene and a foot chase ensued.
“A male in his 30s was arrested nearby and taken to Monaghan Garda Station where he was detained for questioning.”
Continuing, the Garda statement added:
It transpired this male was attempting to siphon diesel from the machine. He has since been charged with theft-related offences.
Urging contractors to learn from the incident in relation to securing their machinery, the Gardaí said:
“We advise all building and agricultural contractors to take every step possible to secure their machinery when not in use and, if possible, not to leave such machinery in exposed or isolated locations.”