A senior garda has blamed the recent string of ATM robberies on the lack of police presence on the border.
President of the Association of Garda Superintendents, Noel Cunningham, said that this combined with the lack of PSNI presence across the border has resulted in a vacuum.
He said: “The peace dividend has been reduction in guards on the border and indeed reduction in the amount of PSNI stations on the northern side of the border.
“And of course, when remove that you create a vacuum, and a vacuum will be filled.
“We know that paramilitaries and criminals will fill a vacuum when they get the opportunity to do so and that’s the one thing we don’t want them to have the opportunity to do.”
He added that the difficulty with the border was that “if you travel several miles out the road, you’re in a different jurisdiction and that’s where the whole thing comes into play”.
Superintendent Cunningham said: “You must have a presence on both sides, you must have an immediate presence on both sides to be able to respond, to support one another when such an incident happens.”
He added that the An Garda Siochana continue to have excellent working relationship with the PSNI and hope to develop it further to help with the response time.
Two arrested after digger used to steal ATM in Co Antrim overnightHe told RTE’s Morning Ireland: “And to develop that in such a sense that we all, both sides, have early response.
“And response is two things- bluelight response is when something happens but also a presence there on the border and everywhere else.”
He also stressed on law enforcement striving to develop meaningful relationships with the public.
He said: “You’ll only develop meaningful relationships with the public if you have policemen and policewomen, An Garda Siochana out there mingling with the community.”
Two ATMs ripped from wall of Tesco in Co Antrim are recovered by police
The AGS said there are no 24-hour garda stations operating along Carrick-on-Shannon in Leitrim, through Castleblaney, Bailieborough, and Dundalk.
Additionally stations have also been closed on the northern side of the border.
The issue of ATM thefts was one of the major topics at the Association of Garda Superintendents conference which took place in Naas, Co Kildare yesterday. [wed]
Along with ATM thefts, the border region has also seen a string of gang related violence and arson attacks.
Rank and file gardai have called for a 24-hour armed units to tackle violent crime.
This armed support to fight organised crime and the threat posed by the New IRA.
