There have been 109 thefts from shops across County Monaghan in the first nine months of this year, and gardaí say they will step up their presence in towns and villages to deter shoplifting in the run-up to Christmas.
The figures were given at a recent meeting of the local Community Safety Partnership by Superintendent Pat O'Connell, Shannonside Northern Sound reported on Monday 19 October. Of the 109 thefts, 34 happened between July and September. That leaves 75 in the first six months of the year.
Northern Sound reported that retail thefts are on the increase across the region. The figures it published do not include a comparison with the same months of 2025.
CCTV and patrols
Supt O'Connell told the meeting that CCTV is a strong deterrent for shop owners, and that footage helps gardaí a great deal when they are investigating a theft afterwards. He said there would be a stronger Garda presence across the county's towns and villages before Christmas, when shops are at their busiest.
What is Operation Táirge?
The superintendent said retail thefts in Monaghan are dealt with under Operation Táirge, An Garda Síochána's national operation against organised retail crime. It was launched in December 2023 as part of the force's Crime Prevention and Reduction Strategy.
Garda headquarters describes organised retail crime as a number of people acting together to target shops and steal large amounts of goods, which are then sold back into the supply chain on the black market. It can also involve refund fraud. Stolen goods are often passed to a "fence", who sells them on at a particular location or online.
When the operation launched, gardaí said it would work by:
- using intelligence to identify people involved in retail crime;
- going after the most prolific groups with organised crime and proceeds of crime laws;
- helping retailers tighten their security, and supporting shop staff to report crime;
- working closely with high-risk shops on prevention, investigation and prosecution.
Helen McEntee, then Minister for Justice, said at the launch that retail theft "is not a victimless crime", pointing to its effect on shop staff's safety as well as on business.
Advice for Monaghan shop owners
Gardaí encourage retailers to report every theft, along with related trouble such as anti-social behaviour, and to keep in contact with their local superintendent. A Divisional Crime Prevention Officer can advise a shop on its layout and security.
According to the Garda website, the Crime Prevention Officer for Cavan and Monaghan is Joseph Glackin, based at Monaghan Garda Station, Plantation Road, Monaghan (H18 PK84). The listed number is 047 77261.
The same Community Safety Partnership, chaired by Cllr Alan Johnston, has also raised concerns this autumn about public drinking and nuisance behaviour in the Diamond in Monaghan town.
Related: Public drinking in the Diamond is putting off visitors, and Monaghan gets nothing from the Community Safety Fund for a second year.
