Eleven men have been arrested for a break-in and theft of copper wiring at a power station near Loughrea in Co Galway last night.
Copper wiring worth an estimated €50,000 was recovered after gardaí used a stinger device to stop four vehicles leaving the Tynagh power plant in Loughrea early this morning.
Garda Superintendent Enda Walsh said the arrests came after officers had identified sites which could prove attractive for thieves.
"We identified the Tynagh Mines Power Plant that's being built there as a possible target and had patrols in place," he said. "At approximately 12 midnight last night activity was observed in that area and a major operation was mounted and at around 4am we stopped four vehicles coming out of the premises, three vans and a four wheel drive jeep.
"We used a stinger to stop the two front vehicles and as a result the other two vans couldn't get through."
Supt Walsh said the occupants of the vans scattered and five men were arrested immediately followed by one more shortly afterwards at 6.30am.
Five more people were detained in Kilcooley on the main Portumna Road four hours later. He said some of the suspects, who all gave Dublin addresses, were known to gardai.
The men are being questioned in Garda Stations in Loughrea, Ballinasloe, Gort and Salthill under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act. The vans were taken to Loughrea Garda Station.