Gardaí in Co Cork have appealed to the public for assistance in trying to track down a gang who yesterday broke into five premises, including a toy soldier factory.
Gardaí in Macroom believe that the three-man gang first targeted Muskerry Construction in Ballymakeera, where they smashed a side window to gain entry to the premises before stealing a small safe which they opened nearby and made off with about €300 in cash.
It is believed the break-in occurred between midnight on Monday and 12.30am yesterday. The gang then travelled in a black or dark-coloured Ford Focus saloon to Cill na Martra, where they again smashed a window to gain entry to the Prince August toy soldier factory.
The gang then set about stealing a safe from the factory and used their car to ram into a roller door and break it down.
They managed to get the safe into the car but it fell from the vehicle as they were leaving the yard.
Gardaí believe the gang then travelled north to Kanturk.
They broke into a tool hire company and a carpet shop near Bluepool in the town, before going on to Newmarket where they broke into another business and stole €3,000 worth of locks and chains.
Investigations into the series of break-ins were launched yesterday by gardaí in Macroom and Kanturk.
Garda technical experts carried out forensic examinations of all five premises in the hope of obtaining some clues to the identities of the culprits.
Supt Vincent Duggan, of Macroom Garda station, appealed to anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in Ballymakeera, Cill Na Martra, Millstreet, Kanturk or Newmarket to contact gardaí.
He said gardaí believed the culprits were driving a black or dark-coloured Ford Focus saloon and that it was damaged both at the front and rear as a result of using it to break into the Prince August factory. "We would ask anyone who spots it to contact us in Macroom or Kanturk," he added.
