Thieves in Tuam

On the 29th April 1854, the Tuam Herald published the following account of the rounding up of a gang of thieves who preyed upon the local merchants for some time before they were apprehended. "A notorious gang which infested this and the neighbouring towns has been apprehended through the vigilance of Head Constable Scott, who, with his party, has succeeded in lodging six of them in jail. Last week, two of them (Hughes and Costello) formerly inmates of the Tuam Workhouse, proceeded to Mountbellew and having concealed themselves in the plantations, entered the town at midnight on the 20th and in forcing an entrance into Mr. Mullarky's shop were discovered and one of them arrested, the other, immediately on his return to this town, information having preceded him, was also caught with four more of the gang, in an old haunt in Bishop Street. One of them has revealed most of the secrets - that they had robbed Mr. Byrne's, Mrs Murray's and other shops here lately and told were most of the stolen property would be found. Several persons who bought the goods under value, are charged as receivers and the whole have been fully committed for trial. Three members of the gang - Hughes, Costello and Lally were charged with stealing at Tuam Petty Sessions, the following week and an old woman named Healy was charged with receiving and pawning some of the stolen goods mostly drapery in Quinn's Pawn Shop.