One car seized every day in Birr

AN AVERAGE of one car a day was seized in Birr over the past week, as part of Operation Thor, a nationwide garda operation aimed at cracking down on crime.

The cars were seized by gardai, as part of a crackdown on motorists driving without tax, insurance and NCTs.

Operation Thor is an anti-crime initiative targeting organised crime and it focuses on increased garda checkpoints.

Gardai in Birr say that the increased checkpoints across the garda district - which covers Birr, Kilcormac, Shinrone, Kinnity, Banagher, Ferbane and Cloghan - is having a knock-on effect on crime levels.

'The checkpoints are having a huge impact on crime. We are noticing a drop in burglaries. That's what the aim of the checkpoints is,' said a local garda spokesman. 

There are around 10 checkpoints in the Birr district every day as part of the operation.

'The checkpoints are random and district-wide and they move around,' said the spokesman.

The operation is ongoing and gardai say they will continue to target those driving without insurance, tax or a valid NCT.

When cars are seized, the owners can retrieve them on production of the relevant documentation including tax and insurance discs and certificates of road worthiness.