A gang has stolen an estimated £1 million worth of cigarettes and caused over £500,000 worth of damage in raids in Cork, Limerick and Clare.
The gang carried out its most recent raids on shops early on Friday morning. Three men robbed a shop in Ballyneety, Co Limerick, and got away with about £3,500 worth of cigarettes and cash.
On the same night, two shops in south-east Clare on the outskirts of Limerick city were also raided. Two weeks ago, 130 volt live wires were cut through when a gang robbed a shop in the same area.
During a robbery in Boherbui, north Cork, thieves cut wires at phone junction boxes, disabling alarms and causing about £300,000 worth of damage.
The gang disabled alarms and security systems in the Ballyneety raid during which locals were threatened and a high-speed Garda chase ensued. The robbers escaped.
Gardai are appealing to shopowners and filling station-proprietors to be on the alert in the run-up to Christmas.
Meanwhile, armed raiders got away with about £400 in cash from the credit union office in Castleconnell, Co Limerick. A staff member's handbag was also taken.
Armed with iron bars and batons, they struck on Friday night while the credit union was still open.
They escaped in a stolen car which was later found abandoned in the area.