Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 18534Burglary and arson · Co. Donegal · 18 Jan 2024

Break-in and fire at Buncrana Leisure Centre

On Thursday, 18 January 2024, between about 6:10pm and 6:20pm, four males, three youths and one man, broke a window on the front door and entered Buncrana Leisure Centre on the Shore Road in Buncrana, County Donegal. Once inside, they set a number of items alight in the pool area, and the fire was small and was put out by the fire services before it spread. The four left a short time later via the Aileach Road towards the Railway Road. Gardaí publicised the case on 23 January 2024, appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage, and some CCTV has been obtained and is being examined; no arrest or charge has been reported in the sources.

  1. Reported23 Jan
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Four males set a number of items alight in the pool area of Buncrana Leisure Centre.
Where
  • The incident took place at the leisure centre on the Shore Road in Buncrana, County Donegal.
  • The four males left a short time later via the Aileach Road towards the Railway Road.
When
The four males entered the building on Thursday, 18 January 2024, between about 6:10pm and 6:20pm.
Other details
  • A window on the front door was broken to gain entry to the building.
  • The fire was small and was extinguished by the fire services before it spread.
  • The four males are described as three youths and one man; their ages and nationalities are not given.
Investigation
  • Gardaí appealed for witnesses to the break-in and fire, in an article published on 23 January 2024.
  • Gardaí asked anyone who travelled nearby between 6pm and 6:30pm with a dash cam to make the footage available.
  • Some CCTV has been obtained and is being examined by gardaí.
Charges
No arrest or charge has been reported in the sources as of 23 January 2024.
9 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA number of items were set alight in the pool area of the building. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereA window on the front door was broken to gain entry to Buncrana Leisure Centre. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe four males left a short time later via the Aileach Road towards the Railway Road. (donegallive.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place at the leisure centre on the Shore Road in Buncrana. (donegallive.ie)
  • whenFour males entered the building on Thursday, January 18, between about 6:10pm and 6:20pm. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationGardaí are appealing for witnesses to the break-in and fire. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationGardaí asked anyone who travelled nearby between 6pm and 6.30pm with a dash cam to make the footage available. (donegallive.ie)
  • investigationSome CCTV has been obtained and is being examined by gardaí. (donegallive.ie)
  • otherThe fire was small and was extinguished by the fire services before it spread. (donegallive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 23 Jan2024
    Reporteddonegallive.ie, first report
    Gardaí seek assistance after break-in and fire at Buncrana leisure centre

    New incident not in the existing cases. Gives the entry method, time window, escape route, the small fire, and Garda appeals for dash cam footage and sightings.

    suspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, male