Two men were arrested by members of An Garda Siochana and stolen farm machinery was seized as part of a planned operation, which was put in place in relation to stolen property in Co. Mayo this week.

The raid – carried out by Foxford Gardai, the Mayo Divisional Drugs Unit, uniformed Gardai and detective Gardai – resulted in the recovery of stolen goods last Sunday night / Monday morning, September 24 and 25.

According to the Connaught Telegraph, the property seized is believed to be worth in the region of €45,000.

The Gardai have announced that, as a result of the operation, vehicles and machinery that had been reported stolen were recovered.

These included:
  • An Ifor Williams horsebox;
  • A white Ford Transit tipper;
  • A John Deere ride-on lawnmower;
  • An Ifor Williams Flat Bed trailer.

The two men were arrested in Knockmore, Co. Mayo, and were taken to Ballina Garda Station – where they were detained and questioned under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, according to Gardai.

Both men were charged with handling stolen property and bailed to Ballina District Court, scheduled for October 10 next.

Farm robbed in Armagh

In news of other rural crime this week, according to local publication Armagh I, a farm in south Co. Armagh was robbed on Tuesday night – with a significant amount of machinery and implements taken.

The property reportedly taken includes: a Massey Ferguson tractor (believed to be a 135) with a registration number of JSY 34G; a Ferguson two furrow plough; an Ifor Williams 12ft cattle trailer; a Weeks single-axle trailer; and a PZ drum mower.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) or relevant authorities. Crimestoppers can also be contacted on: (0044) 0800-555-111.

In a separate incident, a Westmeath farmer reported heifers missing and presumed stolen from his farm last week.

The farmer, from Drumrarney, Co. Westmeath, discovered that three of his heifers were missing from a field. An Garda Siochana were notified, as fresh tracks were present at the scene.

The absence was noticed on Saturday, September 23; the animals had last been seen on Wednesday, September 20.

The heifers in question are one and a half years old – born in late January/February 2016 – and are described as being approximately 400kg. Two of the heifers are Aberdeen Angus crosses, while the third is a Hereford cross.

Of the Anguses, one is described as being particularly noticeable, with no ear tags – both ears are slit from where the tags had been torn. The other Angus was described as “a particularly quiet little heifer”.

Anyone with information is asked to contact either Athlone Garda Station on: 090-6492609 or Ballymore Garda Station on: 044-9356222.