Gardai are investigating a burglary at the family home of the mayor of Roscommon who was abroad because of St Patrick’s Day engagements when the break-in occurred.

Mayor Eugene Murphy believes his house may have been targeted because his planned trip to Tucson, Arizona, for St Patrick’s Day had received coverage in national and local media amid some controversy about the cost to the taxpayer of such trips.

Ironically, Mr Murphy, who defended the trip on the grounds of the historic links between Roscommon and Tucson and the tourism potential of the visit, never made it to Arizona because of fog at Heathrow airport.

He was stranded in London last Thursday evening when he got a call to say there had been a burglary at his home. According to the Fianna Fáil councillor, the culprits appeared to have used an implement such as a chisel to force open a bedroom window. Jewellery worthy €2,000-€3,000 was stolen. His familywere not at home when the break-in happened but he said they were very traumatised by the incident.