The main organized burglary gang currently targeting homes across Ireland is led by two brothers from south Dublin.
The siblings, in their early 20s, are key members of the criminal group that has been linked to hundreds of burglaries in recent months.
This includes looting luxury homes in south Dublin, attacking rural communities using the motorway network and breaking into properties along the border.
The long list of crimes suspected by the gang’s associates includes the vandalism of a garda’s house in May, the shooting at gardaí during a previous chase in the Midlands, and a burglary in Northern Ireland that left a pensioner in front of her. life had to fight.
Gardaí has also had great success against the crime group in recent months, leading to several high-profile arrests.
However, many suspects have now been released on bail by the courts and can continue their criminal business.
Due to the nature of their recurring offenses, most gang members cannot be identified for legal reasons as they face charges.
A close associate of the brothers is Larry Connors, 31, of Cherryfield Way in Dublin, who was previously sentenced to eight years in prison for a crime in Cork.
Two brothers are said to be leading members of the gang with ties to a criminal network of more than 30 employees across the country.
One of the brothers was previously in prison after thousands of pounds worth of jewelery and cash were stolen in break-ins in the UK.
A source told the Irish independent: “They are at the head of this burglary group together with their brother-in-law.
“There are more than 30 known criminals associated with this gang and they are currently the main break-in team.”
A close associate of the brothers is Larry Connors, 31, of Cherryfield Way in Dublin, who was previously sentenced to eight years in prison for a crime in Cork.
He was one of three men who traveled from the capital to Cork in September 2019 to raid a house and rob a safe containing cash and jewelry worth €30,000.
Another prolific member of the burglary gang is a 25-year-old man from Tallaght in Dublin who has been linked with several high-profile crimes in recent months and years.
A key member of the crime group was Jake ‘the Snake’ Casey (pictured) who died in Limerick over Christmas
These include a break-in to a Garda’s Carlow’s home in May, in which hammers were used to smash furniture, TVs, tiles and a toilet.
Gardaí hopes to sue the burglar after he was captured on camera footage inside the property.
Intelligence has also linked the career criminal to a series of burglaries in Tyrone in January 2018.
In one of these incidents, an elderly woman was forced to jump out of a window to escape the gang and suffered serious injuries.
The break-in, in Aughnacloy, was investigated by the PSNI as attempted murder, but the case has never been charged.
The suspect’s 21-year-old brother is also said to have been involved in this heinous crime. He is currently being charged after he was recently arrested in a major garda operation.
A 28-year-old Laois criminal is one of the oldest members of the gang that has been a prime target for Gardaí in the interior.
He is considered a prolific burglar and was arrested several years ago for shooting a garda vehicle while on the run from a crime.
While their associates are mainly based in Dublin and Kildare, they have also forged criminal connections further afield, including a Munster-based burglary gang.
Another key member of the gang is his brother Andrew Wall, 46, who was previously convicted of manslaughter after shooting a man and possessing stolen jewelry in a burglary.
A key member of this group was Jake ‘the Snake’ Casey (29) who passed away over Christmas in Limerick.
Just weeks before his death, he was suspected of involvement in a major burglary in the interior, but managed to escape Gardaí by jumping into a river.
After his sudden death, his friends and family posted a series of tributes praising him as the “king of the road” and “king of Munster gang”.
The tribute was accompanied by several news articles about burglary incidents in the southern region attributed to him.
“They take pride in their work and are absolutely not ashamed of it,” said a source.
“For these guys, it’s their job. They are professional burglars. They are usually not opportunistic; they know exactly what hit them after conducting surveillance, with cash
and jewelry the main targets.
“They fill up the car in the morning, get their sandwiches and bottles of Coke in the garage and leave as if they were going to a 9-5 job.”
Although they are the main burglary gang currently active, they are not the only ones.
Gardaí is also conducting investigations into members of the ‘Cock Wall’ gang who have been active in recent times.
In particular, they target a five-man cell headed by a 50-year-old career criminal. This gang has raided mainly in the east of the country.
Like most of those involved in organized burglaries, the gang leader is currently facing charges in court.
He was released on bail after being arrested last year and charged with a break-in in Dublin that involved taking a significant amount of jewelery from a house.
The Cock Wall gang has more than 70 criminal associates, based mainly between Dublin and Kildare, and is suspected of using children as young as six to gain entry to homes to commit burglaries.
A senior figure within the organized crime group is ‘Red’ John Wall (55) who was previously convicted of burglaries, while the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) demanded a €2 million verdict from him in 2017.
The Tallaght man was previously jailed for three years for an incident in 2006 when a group of burglars broke into four houses in Killarney, Co Kerry, in just 40 minutes.
Another key member of the gang is his brother Andrew Wall, 46, who was previously convicted of manslaughter after shooting a man and possessing stolen jewelry in a burglary.
The CAB has previously seized more than $275,000 from Wall for his ties to burglary gangs, while he was also deported from the United States in 2018.
He had been arrested for shoplifting and employing a minor to commit a crime in New Jersey and was living in the country illegally.
The prolific crowd has also been the target of several garda operations over the past two years, but despite the setbacks, they are still very active.
The Cock Wall gang’s modus operandi is to conduct detailed surveillance in groups of four or five before blowing up a rural town and then using the country’s highways to flee.
There are also concerns about them when they were intercepted by gardaí while escaping, often ramming patrol vehicles and using whatever means necessary to flee.