Gardaí have arrested a man in Co Wicklow in connection with a number of timber thefts.

Coillte and the Gardaí have been monitoring a number of timber robberies in the county.

Most of the high-value timber has been taken from Coillte standing sales but some may have been taken from farmers.

A man in his 40s was arrested yesterday in the Baltinglass area in connection with the thefts.

National estate risk manager for Coillte Mick Power said: “For some time now Coillte, in cooperation with the Gardaí in Wicklow and Wexford, have been monitoring a number of a timber thefts in the area.

“Camera systems and other surveillance systems have been placed in areas of high activity where valuable sawlog timber has been known to be stolen.

“Most of the stolen material has been removed from Coillte standing sales but some may have come from private farmer sources as well.

“Timber as a commodity is in big demand from the sawmilling sector for sawn wood or from firewood merchants as firewood.”