Gardai have warned that Christmas shoppers and revellers in the capital should “exercise all necessary caution” as undercover officers patrol the city centre in a major crackdown on street crime. Gardai have warned that Christmas shoppers and revellers in the capital should “exercise all necessary caution” as undercover officers patrol the city centre in a major crackdown on street crime. That incident happened in the Temple Bar area but undercover garda patrols are also operating in Grafton Street, Harcourt Street and Dame Street and surrounding areas as part of the investigation targeting street crime during the Christmas period. A senior source said many of the suspects arrested for pickpocketing and theft offences were Romanian nationals who had travelled to Dublin as part of an “organised crime ring”. People are vulnerable in relation to organised criminal gangs whether they are shopping or socialising,” the senior source said.

Source: Irish Independent December 15, 2018 17:15 UTC