Gardai probe burglaries
Garda in the city and county are investigating a series of burglaries which have taken place in the last two weeks.
In the early hours of Tuesday last, August 29, the pharmacy in Barna was broken into. A rock was used to smash the glass in the front door and two males entered the premises.
During the raid, a cash register and a petty cash box were taken. The intruders were observed by a witness, who saw them leaving in a dark coloured vehicle.
Any information or any witness to this is asked to ontact Salthill Garda Station 091 514720 where Garda John Kerrigan is investigating.
Meanwhile overnight on Wednesday August 23 a shed beside a scrap yard in Laragh, Ballyglunin was broken in to and 40 catalytic convertors were taken.
Any information on these or any witnesses to the burglary is asked to contact Loughgeorge or Oranmore Garda Stations 091 388038 where Garda Alan Murphy is investigating.
Tool thieves strike on parked vans
Last week, tool thieves struck at two premises in the city, making away with a wide range of tools.
On Thursday August 24 between 11.30am and 12.15pm, tools were taken from a van on the Clybaun Road. The white Ford Transit van was parked up and unlocked. An Orange Stihl strimmers, an extension kit and an orange Stihl chain saw were taken in the course of the theft.
Any information on the theft or on these items to Garda John Kirby of Salthill Garda Station 091 514720
Later that afternoon, between 1.30 and 3.30pm power tools were taken from a van on the Quincentennial Drive in Salthill. The Blue Ford Transit Van was possibly left unlocked.
A yellow Dewalt Oscillating Saw, and a yellow Dewalt plunge saw were taken. Garda Ger Fahy in Salthill Garda Station is investigating the theft. Any information on any of these would be appreciated.
Cash taken from car
On Friday August 25 at 2pm, a large amount of cash was taken from a parked car in the Mervue Business Park in Galway.
The owner locked his Silver Subaru Imprezza and returned a short time later to find the window broken and the cash taken.
Any witnesses to this is asked to contact Galway Gardai, 091 538000 where Garda Kenneth Boyle is investigating the theft.
Garda have reminded people in relation to not leave valuable items or cash in their vehicles and to make sure all cars and vans are locked when parked.
Bike thefts in Athenry and Turbo
Garda are investigating the theft of bicycles in separate incidents over the last few weeks.
Between Tuesday August 22 and Friday August 25 a bicycle was stolen from the side of a house in Shershinn, Furbo.
This is a quiet rural road, and the theft is an unusual incident for the area. The bicycle is described as a Black and Grey Carrera hybrid bicycle; the model is a“subway series”.
Any witnesses or anyone with information on this bicycle is asked to contact Garda Lorraine Quirke at Salthill Garda Station 091 514720
On Tuesday August 15 between 8pm and 9pm a silver and blue Saracen Racer was taken from the Caheroyan Road in Athenry. The owner of the bicycle left it against a fence in the area and went for a run with a group.
On his return his bicycle was gone. It had been left unlocked. Anybody with information on this bicycle please contact Galway Gardai, 091 538000, Garda Marcus Flynn is investigating the theft.
Rings handed into Salthill Garda Station
Two rings which had been found around Christmas time were handed in to Salthill Garda Station last week.
Anyone who would like more information on these two rings please contact Salthill Garda Station 091 514720 where Garda Lorraine Quirke has details of the jewellery found .
Cannon welcomes increase in tourist numbers to Galway
Minister for the Diaspora and International Development Ciaran Cannon has welcomed the latest official data on overseas data from the CSO which shows an increase in tourism numbers for Galway.
Minister Cannon said ‘Galway has seen an increase in overseas visitor numbers of nearly 600,000 since 2010 and this is great news for the county. The first seven months of this year have seen over five and a half million visitors to our shores. Additionally, there has been an increase of 6,000 jobs in tourism in Galway since 2011.
Overall trips to Ireland were up 3.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2016. The tourism sector has played a crucial role in the Irish economic recovery. Measures such as the retention of the 9 per cent VAT rate on tourism services have been significant in helping our tourism sector weather the recession. The figures show that the number of North American and European visitors continues to surge ahead, despite a slight drop in numbers from the UK.
“We have seen a number of great successes in tourism over the last number of years with Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East proving enormously successful.” said Minister Cannon.