GARDAÍ AND Iarnród Éireann are probing the mystery theft of seven level-crossing rail gates in south Co Sligo.
Some of the gates were up to 14ft wide. They were taken in the early hours of Sunday, five from Cloonloo and two from Culfadda.
Iarnród Éireann said human and livestock lives were put at risk but luckily no person or animal was injured and new gates were installed by Sunday afternoon.
Spokeswoman Jane Cregan said: “We moved very fast to secure the crossings. It’s very serious to have live rail lines open to vehicles, pedestrians and livestock.”
She added that they were strange thefts although “somebody saw value in them”. She couldn’t remember crossing gates being stolen before but Iarnród Éireann had experienced in the past thefts of cabling which would be easier to take away.
She appealed for anybody who saw anything unusual to contact gardaí in Boyle and Ballymote.
Telephone cabling was also stolen just over a week ago from poles in the Ballysheedy area of Limerick city.
Eircom has also reported the theft of manhole covers in the Dublin area in recent months.
It is believed the rising price of scrap metal is behind the spree, which has also affected the ESB. Both organisations say they suffer an annual loss of cabling to theft.