Gardai are warning home owners to be vigilant and business owners not to leave cash on their premises, following a run of break-ins over the past week and a half.
Between June 8 and 16, a total of 18 burglaries in the Mullingar area were reported to Gardai, with four in the last two days alone.
On Wednesday, a house was broken into at Monaghanstown, Castletown-Geoghegan between 10am and 3pm. A quantity of jewellery and a small sum of cash were taken.
Money and keys were taken from a house at Catherinestown, Gaybrook between 9am and 3pm the same day, after the back door was forced open.
Also on Wednesday, the office of a sports club in Mullingar town centre was broken into and cash taken.
And on Wednesday night, a private residence in Killucan was broken into between 1am and 3am. Four males were discovered in the house, and they left without taking anything.
While the majority of the incidents occurred in rural areas, a number of business premises in industrial estates have also been targeted.
Anyone with information on any of the incidents is asked to contact Mullingar Garda Station at (044 ) 9384000.
