Gardai based at Pearse Street in Dublin have recovered 116 high-end bicycles suspected to be stolen, according to a social media post by the Gardai.
The estimated value of the bicycles is €250,000 in total, an average of €2,155 per bicycle.
The An Garda Síochána Facebook page said: “Gardaí in Pearse Street conducted a search on Thursday morning, 26th December, 2019 of a container at Allotments in Newcastle, Co Dublin and located 116 pedal cycles suspected to be stolen property.”
The Gardai said that a search warrant was obtained by Gardaí from Pearse Street following what they said was ongoing investigations into the theft of bikes in the city centre.
The Gardai said: “Dublin Fire Brigade assisted Gardaí in obtaining entry into a 40 foot container and located pedal cycles of all makes and models. All items in the container were seized pending further technical examination. It is estimated that the value of the items is approximately €250,000 owing to the uniqueness and specialisation of the items.”
“Gardaí from the Street Crime Unit in Pearse Street will endeavour to identify the rightful owners of the pedal cycles in due course and the items that are not returned to owners will be circulated via media in the coming weeks. Investigations are ongoing.”
IMAGES: An Garda Síochána on Facebook.
It would be nice to think that it might have been under surveillance and that the culprits may have been identified and arrested. Strange that they collected so many presumably for export in one lot, it would be good to know where they were destined for.
The general belief was that bikes were being stolen by opportunist small time thieves and flogged off down the pub for a fraction of their value. However, this development would appear to confirm the involvement of organized crime and the targeting of expensive bikes which are being moved out of the country in bulk for sale elsewhere.