FRANCES FITZGERALD HAS reiterated her Department’s belief that there is no definitive link between burglaries and the cash-for-gold sector.

Responding to a question from Kildare TD Catherine Murphy, the Minister for Justice said she was informed by gardaí that they have no evidence that would suggest a direct link between the ‘continued high rates of burglaries’ across the country and the relatively new phenomenon.

Despite the lack of evidence, there have been consistent calls for stricter regulation of the second-hand precious metal industry.

Fitzgerald conceded that it is “of course, possible that businesses such as these are among the routes utilised by persons seeking to dispose of stolen goods”.

However, some cash-for-gold stores have been praised for co-operating with investigations into a number of thefts, with gardaí sending them photos of valuable items for identification.

Fitzgerald told Murphy that her department is still considering what appropriate and proportionate response to the issue of cash-for-gold stores following the publication of a report in 2012.

A committee which looked that that report advised that drafting legislation to regulate the “relatively new phenomenon” would be a “complex matter”.

Others disagree. Practising barrister Stephen Fitzpatrick says the regulation would be relatively simple.

According to the lawyer, important steps would include the requirement of a licence to work within the industry, reporting obligations for large transactions, a cooling-off period before items are destroys and a right of inspection for gardaí.

“The current lack of oversight facilitates the conversion of stolen property into cash, hinders the retrieval of that property and leaves vulnerable communities at the mercy of the type of transaction against which this country has already legislated.”

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