Pony beaten with a steel bar during robbery

Intruders beat pony with a steel bar


Trevor Quinn

MORE than €500 worth of power tools were stolen and a pony was also beaten when intruders gained entry to a house and a stable at a premises near Charlestown over the weekend.
The incident occured in Tonnagh, Carracastle sometime between 11pm on Friday evening and 7am on Saturday morning. A steel nailbar was found near the stable on Saturday morning after the alarm was raised and this is the implement which is believed to have been used to strike the pony,
The intruders smashed a window to gain entry to the family home where they stole items including a chainsaw, a router and other electrical equipment. Speaking to The Mayo News Therese Cully said, “They went through the house and the stables at the back of the house. The beat the pony and there was a lot of marks on him and his hoofs were also damaged. Our pony was in a lot of shock when the vet called out to have a look at him. He said it looked like some form of steel bar was used to hit him.”
A spate of burglaries have taken place in Mayo in recent weeks. A neighbouring house in Carracastle was broken in to a week ago while burglaries have taken place in areas around Castlebar including Manulla, Ballyvary and Ballintubber.
A Garda spokesperson said that all the matters were under investigation.
“We have no update as of yet on the Tonnagh burglary. There have been a further six burglaries in the Ballyvary, Manulla and Carracastle recently. A number of people from the Donegal vicinity have been questioned and arrested and paperwork is being prepared for the DPP.”
Anyone who saw anything suspicious in Carracastle on Friday night/Saturday morning is asked to contact Swinford Garda Station on 094 9251115.