Gardaí are monitoring a suspected ‘Rome-style’ pickpocketing gang which has been targeting tourist spots for the last month. Thieves have been operating in some of the capital’s most densely packed attractions, including near the Guinness Storehouse, Parliament Street, Dame Street and Temple Bar. They usually operate in pairs, are predominantly female, and have come here from mainland Europe on EU passports, sources familiar with the operation told the Irish Daily Mail.
Their method of operation is to blend in with tourists enjoying the city, similar to how pickpockets operate in the Italian capital. They have also been known to attempt to join walking tours to rob unsuspecting people who are listening on the guide. Gardaí believe these thieves have been operational in several jurisdictions across the EU.
Details of arrests in these incidents will be cross-referenced with colleagues across Europe. Our source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: ‘Dublin used to have a problem with pickpocketing years ago, before Covid. It of course still happened after that but the levels are right back up there again.
‘Gardaí know that these women are also using public transport to either move around quickly after a theft or even to carry out pickpocketing while on board.’ They continued: ‘There are two main ways they are carrying out the robberies. The first one is they try to blend in with other tourists, holding up maps or whatever.
They then dip into a touris.