Gardai Clamping Down On Christmas Tree Thefts In Wicklow.

Gardaí are to clamp down on Christmas Tree theft in the run up to the festive period with increased nightly patrols and checkpoints near tree farms.

Gardaí are to clamp down on Christmas Tree theft in the run up to the festive period with increased nightly patrols and checkpoints near tree farms.
Seasonal initiative Operation Hurdle involves the Garda Air Support Unit and detective and regional armed support backups.  Local superintendent Declan McCarthy says the plan was launched on the back of a spate of robberies in the past:Wicklow has the highest concentration of festive fur trees in the country but an increase in security has helped to reduce the number of thefts in recent years.  In 2012 when the initiative first launched an average of 2,000 trees were being stolen at a loss of around 100,000 euro to growers.