GARDAÍ HAVE LAUNCHED an investigation into claims an undercover sergeant stole from a female Deliveroo rider, The Journal has learned. 

The sergeant, who is based in Dublin city, is being investigated for alleged theft during an incident which is understood to have happened last month.

The woman was working in the city centre when she was flagged down and stopped by two men who produced garda badges and identified themselves as gardaí.

The woman was searched and was then brought back to her home by the two men, who carried out a search of the premises. 

The two men left the apartment and the woman realised that several hundred euro and her passport were missing. She contacted her local garda station to make a complaint.

Gardaí produced an evo-fit of the alleged perpetrators which was sent to stations across the capital. The other officer, who had been on patrol with the sergeant that evening, identified himself to his superior as being one of the men. He told his superior officer that he believed he was on a legitimate search.

However, no record of the search could be found on the garda Pulse system.

There is a current garda operation ongoing in the capital which is targeting drug dealers who are posing as take away riders. It is accepted that the woman who made the complaint to the gardaí is not involved in the drugs trade.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “A senior officer is currently carrying out a scoping exercise into the circumstances of an interaction with a member of An Garda Síochána to assess whether any issues of criminality or discipline arise.

“No determination has been made at this time.”