Gardaí are hunting for a Waterford gang responsible for a spate of burglaries in Cork, writes Ann Murphy of the Evening Echo.

Five burglaries took place in the Fermoy area on Wednesday night and followed a series of others in the Kilworth, Glanworth, Fermoy and Mitchelstown areas in the past month.

Gardaí believe a gang travelling from the west Waterford area are responsible for the raids, which typically take place between 4pm and 10pm.

Checkpoints have been set up in the area, on routes from west Waterford into Fermoy, in recent days.

The same modus operandi is used in each raid, with the culprits using a screw driver to open back windows and doors.

Up to three men, wearing balaclavas, have been seen on CCTV footage from some of the scenes.

Cash and jewellery are the target, with the burglars mainly focusing on master bedrooms in the homes which have been broken into.

Gardaí in the Cork North division are also putting extra patrols in the Mallow and Midleton areas which have also experienced burglaries in recent weeks.

A spokesman said: “In the event that people observe suspicious vehicles in their area, please let your local garda station know.”

This article first appeared in today’s Evening Echo.