Offaly residents under siege from roving gang 'trying cars' in dead of night

Residents in a number of towns and villages in Offaly and Kildare are under siege from a roving gang attempted to break into cars over the last few weeks.

The same car - an Open Insignia - has been reported in multiple incidents caught on security or doorbell footage, particularly around Edenderry in Offaly and Rathangan in Kildare.

There have been a number of reported thefts from vehicles in Edenderry going back a number of months, including in the Sycamores estate and Gilroy Avenue. Three houses in the same area were also broken into in the last two weeks.

Residents are at their wit's end and a number of reports have been made to gardaí.

It appears the same gang in the same car have been involved with a number of the incidents. Footage shared to community pages on social media show the car moving around an estate in Edenderry while two people on foot attempt to open car doors. 

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Another incident caught on a doorbell camera recently in Edenderry showed an individual on a bicycle stopping at houses and attempting to open cars on Gilroy Avenue. A number of items were stolen in these incidents. 

Gardaí say they are investigating a number of individual thefts reported around the town but have not indicated if any or all of them are linked or are being carried out by the same group. 

Similar incidents have been reported across the border in Kildare. An Open Insignia was captured on camera there too in the same area a number of attempted thefts occurred. The same car or one similar has been spotted engaged in similar incidents recently in Kilcock and Kildare Town. 

Residents are being told to report any and all thefts or attempted thefts to gardaí locally.