A top cop has appealed to the public to help them catch a gang who have robbed telephone cable from across Co Donegal.
The gang have struck more than 20 times in the past four years – the latest last Saturday morning when 1,000 metres of wire was stolen between Milford and Carrigart.
The robbery left dozens of homes without telephone connection as well as pensioners without the use of their personal emergency alarms.
Garda Inspector Michael Harrison has appealed to the public to be vigilant.
“We would ask people who notice workmen near telephone wires out of hours and late at night to contact us.
“Even if they are legitimate Eircom employees, we can send a car around and investigate the situation.
“There have been a number of raids now in this general area and we are asking the public for their help,” he said.
He also appealed to scrap metal dealers to report anybody trying to sell on the copper wire illegally.
Although a number of arrests have been made into the series of thefts in recent months, nobody has been charged with the robberies.