Man arrested over 100000 westmeath livestock theft

A man has been arrested as part of a Garda investigation into one of the biggest livestock thefts in the history of the State.

Athlone-based Gardai who were investigating the theft of cattle and sheep worth over €100,000 from a farm in Kilbeggan last June carried out the arrest during a planned operation in Donegal this morning (Thursday).

The man who was arrested is in his 30s and is currently being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Ballyshannon Garda Station.

He can be held at the station in Ballyshannon for a period of up to 24 hours.

The theft occurred sometime between 9pm on June 24 last and 1.15 pm the following day at the farm of Niall Dillon and his wife Christa in Cornaher, Kilbeggan.

Some 75 cattle and 25 sheep were taken during the raid.

The farm is situated close to the N6, Old Dublin Road between Kilbeggan and Tyrrellspass.