GARDAI in Killarney are hunting for opportunist thieves who stole valuable equipment from a workplace in the early hours of this Wednesday morning, KillarneyToday.com can reveal.
The robbery occurred at Flynn’s Forge, in Rockfield, Faha, and a number of valuable tools were taken.
The thieves cut the steel inside the door lock to gain access to the premises and they made off with two pipe threading machines and welder cables in addition to a traditional anvil that was in the Flynn family for generations and is of great sentimental value.
Proprietor Patrick Flynn discovered the door of the forge had been forced open when he arrived for work shortly before 8 o’clock this Wednesday.
He told KillarneyToday.com that he has no idea what time the raid occurred but neighbours informed him that dogs were barking furiously between 2.30am and 3.00am.
The culprits may have been alerted by the dogs or otherwise disturbed as they left a lot of equipment, including magnetic drills, behind them when they fled.
Mr Flynn is particularly upset that the anvil was taken as it had been part of the traditional forge business for at least two generations before he took over.
He said it is a particularly heavy piece of equipment and it would have required at least two men to lift it.
“The material value is just about €200 or €300 but that’s not the main concern – I’d just love to get it back and, besides, anvils are very scarce and hard to come by these days,” he said.
Gardai have appealed to anybody that may have noticed any unusual activity or any suspicious vehicle travelling in the area to contact them on 064-66-31222.
Flynn’s Forge is a well-known local landmark, 13km from Killarney town, located at a crossroads junction leading to Faha, Ballyhar, Milltown and Firies.