Two Men and Teenage Girl Held Over Fermanagh Border Burglaries
Three suspects arrested in Newtownhamilton on 13 November over a string of burglaries in Fermanagh. A stolen vehicle and forensic evidence link several incidents across the border area.
Three arrested as detectives probe Fermanagh burglary spree and stolen vehicle
Two men and a teenage girl have been arrested in connection with a series of burglaries in rural County Fermanagh, anglocelt.ie reports, following a dramatic confrontation with locals and a cross-border search for a stolen vehicle.
The two men, aged 45 and 20, along with a teenage girl, were detained in the Newtownhamilton area on Friday, 13 November, on suspicion of burglary and related offences. All three remained in police custody as detectives continued their investigation.
The inquiry centres on a cluster of incidents in Newtownbutler and Lisnaskea. On the afternoon of Tuesday, 10 November, two men and a young female were confronted by members of the public after allegedly entering a property through a rear door at the Church Lane housing estate in Newtownbutler. Tensions rose when locals used a large white van to block a white BMW 1 Series — in which the suspects were travelling — from leaving the estate.
The following morning, Wednesday, 11 November, a vehicle was stolen from outside an address on Wattlebridge Road, Newtownbutler, at approximately 8.15am. The PSNI released a description of two male suspects believed to be involved: one was described as slim to medium build, with short dark hair and stubble, wearing green workwear trousers.
PSNI detectives in Enniskillen subsequently confirmed that the stolen vehicle was found abandoned in Newtownhamilton, County Armagh, after an extensive search. It is understood that Gardaí in Cavan and Monaghan were contacted for assistance following the theft, as the vehicle was reportedly driven in the direction of Clones and through Fermanagh Street at speed.
Both the abandoned vehicle and the white BMW are undergoing forensic examination. Detectives are examining potential links between the Church Lane confrontation and earlier reported burglaries in the Camphill Park and Landbrock Road areas of Newtownbutler, as well as an attempted break-in on Knocks Road in Lisnaskea. As part of Friday's operation, police also searched a property in the Dungormley Estate area.
Police are appealing for information from anyone who witnessed suspicious activity on Wattlebridge Road on Wednesday morning, or who has knowledge of the stolen vehicle's movements. Contact can be made by calling 101, quoting reference number 196 11/11/26, or by reporting online at www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. Information may also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)