Five arrested in bogus garda fraud investigation

A woman and four men have been arrested as part of a garda investigation into fraudsters impersonating gardai. 

The five were arrested on suspicion of fraud in relation to the impersonation of gardai in the midland and eastern region. 

In January an elderly man living in Laois lost a considerable sum of money to people impersonating gardai. It’s understood a number of other people in Laois have been targeted in such frauds in recent months. 

Gardaí from the Garda Eastern Region investigating the activities of a criminal gang involved in theft and fraud by impersonating members of An Garda Síochána arrested the two men in their 30s, a man in his 50s, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 50s this morning.

The five were arrested on suspicion of offences contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 as amended and detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 at five separate Garda stations across the Eastern Region.

A number of searches are ongoing in three counties across the Dublin and Eastern Regions in connection with the investigation. 

It is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer based out of an incident room at Kilkenny Regional Headquarters. Gardai there have been investigating the gang's activities across 15 counties, primarily in the east and the midlands, over the past 10 months. Today’s searches and arrests are being conducted by detectives from the Eastern Region, supported by uniform colleagues and Regional Armed Support Units.

The theft/ fraud involved members of the gang calling to rural homes, impersonating a member of An Garda Síochána, claiming they were investigating burglaries in the area where sums of cash had been stolen and that they were attempting to identify the owners of the cash, or counterfeit cash.  They requested to compare cash in their possession against cash held by the homeowner and then proceed to take any cash from the homeowner.

Gardai previously issued crime prevention advice in relation to this type of bogus tradesmen callers.

They explained that members of An Garda Síochána will not cold call to a house and request to check cash in this manner.

Gardai are reminding the public that any Garda member calling to your door will have identification.

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However, should you have any concerns about the person at the door, you should not answer the door even if they are purporting to be a Garda.

Genuine Gardaí will always provide official details to allow you to confirm their identity with your local Garda Station and will be patient while you choose to so.