LICENSED BUSINESSES HAVE spent around €40 million replacing stolen kegs in the last eight years, a representative body has claimed.

The Irish Brewers Association (IBA) says that over 400,000 kegs of beer have been stolen or gone missing since 2007.

With the cost of replacing the kegs around €100, the IBA says it is important the licensees are aware of the thefts.

IBA senior executive Thomas Burke says that the target is not the contents, but rather the high-grade stainless steel that most kegs are made of.

“Metal theft has emerged as a worrying issue since 2007, costing the Irish Economy millions of euro every year. For the brewing sector, keg theft continues to be a serious problem and is hindering our ability to meet customer requirements by creating unsustainable losses.

“With this in mind we would like to prompt all operators of licensed trade establishments in Ireland to remain vigilant of possible keg thefts, and to report incidents of stolen kegs or suspicious activity in relation to kegs to local gardaí.”

Burke says that the IBA is working with the Garda Metal Forum to reduce the thefts and that a number of cases have already been taken against a number of thieves.

He concluded that license holders should ensure the safe return of empty kegs.

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