
Trio including man 'with bright white teeth and Irish accent' sought over theft in Somerset
Two large leisure batteries, often used in caravans, motorhomes and boats, were taken from a store on Hankridge Retail Park in Taunton at around 7.20pm on Thursday, April 10.
One staff member was also subjected to threatening and aggressive behaviour during the incident, which police say caused significant distress.
"We understand that incidents like this can cause concern among retail staff and local shoppers," said PC Riggs of Avon and Somerset Police. Descriptions
Officers are now releasing CCTV images and descriptions of a group of people they would like to identify in relation to the incident.
The first man is described as being between 20 and 35 years old, around 5' 8" in height, with bright white teeth and an Irish accent.
He was wearing a grey tracksuit at the time of the incident.
Police have released descriptions of the three men (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
The second man, aged between 20 and 35, had dark hair and an Irish accent and was wearing a black T-shirt and grey shorts.
The third man, who was also aged between 20 and 35 and had an Irish accent, was wearing an orange T-shirt.
The group left the area in a silver Audi A3. 'Stronger and better'
"Targeting retail premises and threatening staff is unacceptable, and we are working hard to identify those involved and hold them to account," said PC Riggs.
"Neighbourhood officers are conducting high-visibility patrols in the area, and we are working closely with store security teams and community partners to provide reassurance and prevent further incidents.
"We would like to thank the member of staff involved for their courage in reporting the offence, and we encourage anyone affected by crime to speak to us — support is always available."
Officers have reviewed CCTV footage and spoken to people in the area as part of their investigation and are now urging anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with any information on the identity of the people pictured or who may have other information on the incident are urged to call 101, quoting reference 5225102400.
See More: Somerset, Taunton

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Gardaí suspect €31m Courtmacsherry cocaine haul was destined for UK market
Gardaí suspect a British-German trafficking gang planned to bring yesterday's €31m cocaine haul in Cork across the border and onto a ferry to Scotland for UK distribution. A two-day investigation — beginning with a spy operation by the highly secretive Garda National Surveillance Unit and ending with a high-speed chase by Naval Service fast boats of fleeing gang members — resulted in the arrest of all four members of the drug importation team, which is believed to be Scottish-led. The four men comprise two Scots, one English, and one German — all in their 30s and 40s. They are described by security sources as 'critical' in terms of the 'logistics' of the operation. Two of the men were caught with an estimated 443kgs of cocaine when the elite Garda Emergency Response Unit and armed officers from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau intercepted their van in Courtmacsherry. Two other members on a fast rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) were chased by two Naval Service RHIBs, carrying armed members of the NS Maritime Interdiction Team, and intercepted off the Cork coast. The suspect RHIB had been used to transport the cocaine from a mother ship off the coast to Broad Strand Beach, just south of Courtmacsherry. Irish agencies have identified the suspect mother ship — a bulk carrier cargo ship — registered in Barbados. They are now tracking its movements, which was in the Atlantic North East last night. The EU drug interdiction agency MAOC-N, which assisted authorities in the operation, is believed to be helping in this regard. It appears the ship have may docked in recent days in an Irish port to offload legitimate goods before dropping off the drugs out at sea for the landing team - in a trend that authorities in Europe have spotted. High tide occurred at 3am on Tuesday, and it's believed the cocaine was brought ashore directly onto Broad Strand beach and loaded into a van just before 4am. 'The full team has been caught, along with the almost half-tonne of cocaine,' a security source said. "There was full Joint Task Force (JTF) deployment and a great result achieved". The JTF is comprised of An Garda Síochána, Revenue, Irish Naval Service, and Air Corps. It is understood that the JTF — probably through Revenue — has contacted with the EU drug interdiction agency, MAOC-N, to try and locate the mother ship and trace its origins, mostly likely South America or the Caribbean. Gardaí have estimated the haul to be worth around €31m, based on the standard street value of €70,000 per kilo. But given the haul was sent straight from South America without being cut, the final value is likely to be considerably more. It is the largest seizure of cocaine since the colossal haul of 2.25 tonnes on the MV Matthew off the Cork coast in September 2023, in what was another JTF operation. The Courtmacsherry seizure tops the 300kg haul of cocaine at Foynes Port in Limerick in December 2023, the next biggest seizure in recent years. Interviews are continuing with the four men arrested and forensic analysis will begin on digital devices that have been found to try and identify recent communications. Officers suspect the haul was bound for the British market primarily. 'We suspect its for the UK and was heading that way, the North the easiest route, but it's coming in through our shores,' a security source said. The Naval Service deployed the LÉ William Butler Yeats offshore patrol vessel for the operation and its two RHIBs pursued the two gang members on their own RHIB. A Garda HQ statement said: 'Two Naval Service rigid-hulled inflatable boats, with members of ships armed Maritime interdiction Team, were launched from LÉ William Butler Yeats and intercepted the suspect RIB off the coast of Cork. 'The suspect RIB was detained by Revenue Customs and the two males were taken on board the LÉ William Butler Yeats. The LÉ William Butler Yeats returned to Haulbowline Naval Base and both males [were arrested] by Gardaí.' The Butler Yeats was also involved in the MV Matthew operation. The Air Corps C295 was involved throughout the operation. Tánaiste and Defence Minister Simon Harris and Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan praised the cooperation of the agencies.

The 42
6 hours ago
- The 42
Former Irish Olympic swimming coach George Gibney arrested in Florida
FORMER IRISH OLYMPIC swimming coach George Gibney has been arrested by US authorities in Florida this afternoon. He was taken into custody by US Marshals on foot of an Irish extradition warrant and is being detained pending a court appearance. Gardaí have been investigating fresh allegations that Gibney sexually abused multiple children in his care while working as a swimming coach in Ireland decades ago. The investigation was reopened in 2020 after several individuals made allegations on a BBC podcast, prompting a specialist unit within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau to begin a detailed inquiry. After a three-year investigation, a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who recommended charging Gibney. Advertisement In a statement today, gardaí said that they are'aware of the arrest of a male aged in his 70s in the United States' on the foot of an Irish international arrest warrant. 'As this is currently a matter for the US authorities, An Garda Síochána will not be commenting further at this time,' a spokesperson said. Gibney was the founder of the Trojan Swimming Club in Blackrock in Dublin, where he also worked as a coach. He was also the Irish national swimming coach until 1991. Now aged in his 70s, he was previously charged with 27 sexual offences in 1993. However, the charges of indecent assault and unlawful carnal knowledge were dropped in 1994 after he secured an injunction in the High Court preventing the DPP from prosecuting him. Gibney left Ireland and moved to Scotland, where he continued to work as a swimming coach. He has lived in the United States since 1995. In 1997, a garda investigation into Gibney was opened after fresh allegations were made against him. This investigation did not result in a prosecution. In 2020, the BBC Sounds and Second Captains podcast 'Where is George Gibney?' gave an in-depth look at the circumstances and child abuse accusations surrounding Gibney. Gardaí commenced a new investigation after the podcast was broadcast. An appeal was issued for people with any information to come forward. A number of alleged victims did come forward with allegations. The DPP would be free to seek Gibney's extradition from the US if it was to proceed with charges. Written by Andrew Walsh and posted on


Sunday World
8 hours ago
- Sunday World
Episode 1066: A 20 year feud of Scotland's warring crime families (Part Two)
In the final part, we look at how the gangs feud spilled out onto the Costa A double murder at an Irish bar on the Costa Del Sol as Scotland's warring crime families up the ante in a long-running feud. But how did the dispute between the Daniels and Lyons clans begin and how have each side aligned themselves to Irish mobs? In part two of our special report on the 20 year feud we are talking to Richard Elias, Deputy Editor of the Scottish Daily Express about deepening tensions in Scotland and how they spilled out onto the Costa Del Crime. MORE EPISODES