Roma gangs of thieves target popular European tourist destinations

The travel and tourism industry in Europe is a victim of professional Romanian Roma gangs of thieves. They use the freedom of travel within the EU to target other European destinations with crimes against tourists. Two such gangs of thieves, both from the Roma community in Romania, arrived in Ireland last month and immediately began targeting popular tourist destinations.

After a spate of pickpocketings, gardai arrested up to 30 “new faces” among the gangs, plus some others who were already known to them. They immediately launched a campaign to combat the gangs and drive them out.

However, hundreds of “thefts from the person” have been reported in the past three weeks, most of them involving tourists. Three arrests were made on Thursday after a Finnish tourist had his wallet stolen in the city Centre.

They’re after anyone they see looking at a tourist map.

The Roma gang members were first noticed hanging around the Dublin Tourism Information office in Suffolk Street, off Grafton Street.

Most members of the two gangs have now been arrested or stopped on suspicion and identified. Gardai have recovered stolen mobile phones, laptops and other valuables.

All those arrested gave gardai the same address, a house divided into multiple bed-sits in north inner Dublin. The house has been used as a Centre for Roma criminal activity in recent years and gardai arrested a man wanted in connection with five murders in Romania in the house two years ago.

The gangs are well versed in the Irish criminal justice system and continue stealing after being released on bail up until they are due to face trial and possible jail. They are also well aware that Ireland’s bail laws are the most liberal in the EU. When enough of them are facing prison they move on to another EU capital, according to sources.

One of those arrested is a man in his late twenties who had four outstanding warrants for theft in Dublin 2008. He arrived here using a different surname, but it emerged it was not a false identity. He had married in Romania and, under Roma gypsy tradition, had taken his wife’s surname, which is perfectly legal.

Gardai believe the two gangs had avoided Ireland since the economic collapse, which coincided with a fall in tourism numbers. However, they returned to Dublin amid reports of an economic revival and an increase in tourist numbers.