Courts / Armagh / Report
'Highly organised' gang behind border ATM thefts, court hears
Summary
A man has been convicted at the Special Criminal Court of handling nearly €104,000 in proceeds from an organised ATM theft gang that stole approximately €790,000 across the Border region. Niall Finnegan, aged 39, was arrested at Tullypole, County Meath, with the cash in his possession. The court heard that between 2019 and the time of arrests two years later, the gang used excavators to forcibly remove ATMs from locations in Cavan and Monaghan, causing significant criminal damage during six raids and attempted raids. In one August 2019 operation on Virginia's Main Street, gardaí witnessed a stolen digger in convoy with a stolen Land Cruiser before intervening. A subsequent search of a Virginia site yielded €298,000. Finnegan admitted possessing the money knowing or believing it was criminal proceeds. The presiding judge stated the accused faced a custodial sentence, describing the thefts as highly organised. Sentencing was adjourned pending background reports.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Highly organised' gang behind border ATM thefts, court hears. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 14, 2019 Other
- August 20, 2019 Incident
- 2021-10-05 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Outcome: Today, Ms Murphy told the three-judge court the maximum penalty for the offence was 15 years' imprisonment.
Places mentioned
Topics
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