Farmer opens fire at getaway van after third burglary gang raid in a year

The incident happened in rural Co Mayo on Thursday afternoon, an associate of the man said.

Gardaí have seized a shotgun and ammunition owned by the farmer and identified at least one suspect, but no arrests have been made.

Two men were seen fleeing across fields near the farmer’s home on Thursday afternoon.

They had to abandon the grey van they had used in the attempted burglary after the farmer fired two shots, one hitting the engine and the other the front window.

The suspects were at the back of the van at the time, trying to load chainsaws, pots and other stolen items. They were not injured when the shots were fired.

Earlier, the farmer had noticed one of the suspects at the side of the property in which his late father previously lived.

He saw the suspect had broken in to the house and was standing beside a number of items that had been taken from it.

The farmer’s associate said: “He then went into his home, which is beside that property, and got his shotgun and loaded it up as he felt that transportation was on the way to retrieve the items.

“He then hid in bushes for about an hour before the van arrived to take the stuff away. When it was being loaded into it, he fired off the two shots – it was never his intention to harm the criminals.

“After this happened, he made an emergency phone call and told the operator that he had discharged his firearm, which led to a major response from armed gardaí who rushed to the scene and were there within 25 minutes.”

In the meantime, the van had been abandoned after it broke down about a kilometre away.

Bizarrely, one of the suspects called a garda station in Co Mayo using his own name to report the vehicle as stolen before he and his accomplice fled.

Rural parts of Mayo and Galway have been ‘completely fleeced’ by burglary gangs

This man is expected to be arrested on sight, according to a source.

The farmer lives on his own and is said to be “sick and tired, as well as frightened” of criminals targeting his property.

In recent weeks and months, rural parts of Mayo and Galway have been “completely fleeced” by burglary gangs.

Many travel from the Tallaght area of Dublin to the west of Ireland in high-powered Audi cars, according to several garda sources.

While the suspects in relation to this attempted burglary are from Mayo, they are suspected of having “family links” to some members of the west Dublin burglary gangs.

A number of people, including local politicians, who spoke to the Irish Independent expressed sympathy for and solidarity with the farmer. ​

“This is a very private individual who lives on his own in a relatively isolated area and he obviously felt that he had enough of being targeted,” said a local person who asked not to be named.

“Everyone around is saying this case is similar to what happened with Padraig Nally who lives only a 40-minute drive from here.”

Under the Criminal Law (Defence and Dwelling) Act 2011, a person is allowed to use reasonable force defending their home in order to protect themselves and their property.

That legislation was drafted following the death of burglar John ‘Frog’ Ward, who was shot dead by farmer Padraig Nally in Co Mayo in 2004.

Mr Nally was cleared of murder but initially found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to six years. However, he was retried for manslaughter and fully acquitted.

Thursday afternoon’s shooting incident comes as gardaí led by detectives in Roscommon continue to gather intelligence in preparation for mass arrests of Dublin-based organised burglary suspects who have been terrorising the west for months.