THE Garda operation aimed at tackling the raids on elderly people living in rural areas of the west was significantly stepped up yesterday. Extra gardai were backed by armed members of the Emergency Response Unit and an Air Corps helicopter.
The number of checkpoints spread over three counties - Galway, Roscommon and Clare - was also increased, and two semi permanent checkpoints were maintained on routes with a high density of traffic.
Operation Shannon has two purposes to stop the attacks which have been concentrated in the area and to back up surveillance operations on known suspects.
While gardai have refused to indicate how long such an intensive operation involving over 150 people would continue, the checkpoints are to be increased and moved over a wider area, taking in parts of Tipperary, Westmeath and Longford, with day to day variations.
Members of the Emergency Response Unit, which has a high success rate in tackling serious crime, are to be based in Ennis, Co Clare, and at Ballinasloe, Co Galway, where the Air Corps Alouette was based yesterday.
The almost 24 hour checkpoints have been in place on the Athlone side of Ballinalsoe on the main Galway Dublin road, and between Roscommon and Athlone. These routes cater for some of the highest traffic volumes in the region. In addition, check points were mounted in east Clare affecting traffic feeding into the bridge crossing the Shannon at Portumna.
The strategy, according to Garda sources, is to employ mobile Garda patrols on minor roads off the major traffic routes where the checkpoints are and to deploy the helicopter as back up if, for example, a vehicle is "fleeing a particular area" or seen to turn back from a checkpoint.
Chief Supt Joe Kilgannon of Roscommon East Galway division, from where the operation is co ordinated, said its purpose was to stop the attacks by intensive patrolling and extensive use of checkpoints and to monitor movements of suspects.
As the investigation into Mr Tommy Casey's death continued, it is understood that six gangs are being pursued for the more serious robberies, including one group which is based in Britain but is known to frequent the west.